Legal status information, not medical advice. Do not start, stop or change a medicine because of this page: ask your prescriber or pharmacist. In an emergency call 911 (US) or 999 (UK). Full notice
In the United Kingdom, Class A is the highest of the three classes of controlled drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, and it carries the heaviest maximum penalties. On the Home Office list of commonly encountered controlled drugs, Class A includes diamorphine (heroin), cocaine, LSD, MDMA, methadone, morphine, oxycodone and fentanyl. Class B includes cannabis, amphetamine and ketamine. Class C includes diazepam, alprazolam, zolpidem, tramadol, gabapentin and pregabalin. A controlled drug is any drug that appears in Schedule 2 to the 1971 Act, and the Act's three classes decide the maximum sentence. For the US system, see what is a controlled substance and drug schedules.
What are Class A, B and C drugs?
Schedule 2 to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 is titled "Controlled Drugs" and has three parts: Part I is Class A, Part II is Class B and Part III is Class C. A drug's class sets the maximum penalty for offences such as possession and supply. The Home Office publishes a list of the most commonly encountered controlled drugs, with the class of each. The list was updated on April 1, 2025, and it states that it is not exhaustive. The full text of the law is on legislation.gov.uk.
The table gives examples taken from that list. Where a drug has two names, the list's own name is used.
| Class | Examples on the list |
|---|---|
| Class A | Diamorphine (diacetylmorphine), cocaine, lysergide (LSD), MDMA, methadone, methylamphetamine, morphine, oxycodone, hydromorphone, pethidine, tapentadol, fentanyl, psilocin, mescaline |
| Class B | Cannabis, cannabis resin, cannabis oil, amphetamine, ketamine, lisdexamphetamine, methylphenidate, codeine, dihydrocodeine, pentazocine, phenobarbital, methcathinone |
| Class C | Alprazolam, diazepam, nitrazepam, temazepam, zolpidem, zopiclone, tramadol, gabapentin, pregabalin, buprenorphine, nandrolone, khat |
Two points about this table. First, the list is for the drugs police and health services meet most often, so a drug missing from it may still be controlled; the Home Office itself points readers to legislation.gov.uk for the complete lists. Second, the class of a drug can change with its form, as the next section shows.
What penalties go with each class?
The gov.uk page "Drugs penalties" gives maximum penalties for possession and for supply and production. We reproduce them as published, and they are maximums set for the courts, not what a particular person receives.
| Class | Possession | Supply and production |
|---|---|---|
| Class A | Up to 7 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both | Up to life in prison, an unlimited fine or both |
| Class B | Up to 5 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both | Up to 14 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both |
| Class C | Up to 2 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both (the page makes an exception for anabolic steroids, which it says are legal to possess for personal use) | Up to 14 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both |
| Temporary class drugs | No possession penalty, although police can take suspected substances | Up to 14 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both |
This is a summary of public information, not legal advice. Anyone facing a charge or a question about their own situation needs a solicitor.
Can a drug be in a higher class in some forms?
Yes. The Home Office list marks several Class B drugs with footnote 1, and the footnote reads:
Falls within paragraph 6 of Part I of Schedule 2 of the MDA 1971 (ie Class A) if in a preparation designed for administration by injection.
Paragraph 6 of Part I of Schedule 2 covers "any preparation designed for administration by injection" that includes a substance specified in paragraphs 1 to 3 of Part II, the Class B part. The list shows footnote 1 against acetyldihydrocodeine, amphetamine, codeine, dihydrocodeine, ethylmorphine, methylphenidate, nicocodine, nicodicodine, norcodeine, phenmetrazine and pholcodine. Of the drugs on this site, only amphetamine is affected, and its page is Adderall.
Cannabis has its own footnote. The list says that since November 1, 2018, cannabis-based products for medicinal use in humans that meet the definition in the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 are in Schedule 2 of those Regulations, while other cannabis products stay in Schedule 1, which means they cannot be accessed except under a Home Office licence.
What class is ketamine in the UK?
Ketamine is Class B, Schedule 2, according to the Home Office list. Class B means the penalty bands above for possession and supply. Schedule 2 is its place under the 2001 Regulations, described below. In the US, ketamine is Schedule III with DEA code 7285. The ketamine page sets the two systems side by side.
What are the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 schedules?
The 1971 Act prohibits production, importation, exportation, possession and supply of controlled drugs. The Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 provide certain exemptions from those prohibitions and set rules on prescriptions, records and the destruction of drugs. They do this through five schedules, and each schedule's heading says which regulations apply to its drugs. One regulation, number 14, is titled "Documents to be obtained by supplier of controlled drugs."
| Schedule | Heading in the Regulations | Examples from the Home Office list |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Subject to regulations 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 23, 26 and 27 | LSD, MDMA, cannabis (see note above), psilocin, mescaline |
| 2 | Subject to regulations 14, 15, 16, 16A, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 26 and 27 | Fentanyl, methadone, morphine, cocaine, amphetamine, ketamine |
| 3 | Subject to regulations 14, 15, 16, 18, 22, 23, 24, 26 and 27 | Tramadol, gabapentin, pregabalin, buprenorphine, temazepam |
| 4 Part 1 | Subject to regulations 22, 23, 26 and 27 | Alprazolam, diazepam, zolpidem, zopiclone |
| 4 Part 2 | Excepted from the prohibition on possession and from the import and export offences when carried out in person for administration to that person, and subject to regulations 22, 23, 26 and 27 | Testosterone, nandrolone |
| 5 | Excepted from the prohibition on importation, exportation and possession (apart from nitrous oxide), and subject to regulations 24 and 26 | Nitrous oxide (Class C); the list shows 2/5 for codeine and morphine, with footnotes for low-strength preparations |
The headings above list more regulations for Schedules 1 to 3 than for Schedule 4, and only two for Schedule 5, which the legislation excepts from the prohibition on possession (apart from nitrous oxide). Dividing lines between schedules are legal categories, so we do not claim that one schedule is "stronger" than another. For what a given schedule means in practice for a prescription, the NHS and the British National Formulary (BNF) are the reference. We did not open them for this page, so we make no claims on prescription validity or storage rules.
What are temporary class drug orders?
Section 2A of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 lets the Secretary of State make a "temporary class drug order." The order has a limited life: the substance stops being a controlled drug by virtue of the order at the end of one year beginning with the day the order comes into force. The order also ceases to have effect after 40 days unless both Houses of Parliament approve it. Before making one, the Secretary of State must have consulted as section 2B requires or must have received a recommendation under that section. On gov.uk, the penalty for possession of a temporary class drug is none, and for supply or production it is up to 14 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both.
How does the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016 fit in?
The Psychoactive Substances Act 2016 is a separate law from the Misuse of Drugs Act. A Home Office circular says it came into effect on May 26, 2016. It defines a psychoactive substance as one that is capable of producing a psychoactive effect in a person who consumes it and is not an exempted substance, and it says a substance produces such an effect by stimulating or depressing the person's central nervous system. Schedule 1 to the Act lists the exempted substances: controlled drugs within the meaning of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, medicinal products, alcohol, nicotine and tobacco products, caffeine, and food. So a drug that is controlled under the 1971 Act is dealt with under the 1971 Act and not under the 2016 Act.
Is a drug controlled in the UK if the US does not control it?
It can be. Gabapentin and pregabalin are the clearest examples on this site. Both are Class C, Schedule 3 in the UK, with a Home Office circular giving April 1, 2019 as the date of the change. In the US, pregabalin is Schedule V and gabapentin does not appear on the DEA list. The reverse also happens: lisdexamfetamine is Schedule II in the US and Class B, Schedule 2 in the UK, while trazodone, cyclobenzaprine and hydroxyzine are not on either country's list.
| Drug | US | UK |
|---|---|---|
| Gabapentin | Not on the DEA list | Class C, Schedule 3 |
| Pregabalin | Schedule V | Class C, Schedule 3 |
| Testosterone | Schedule III | Class C, Schedule 4 Part 2 |
The 18 drugs on this site in the UK system
The table below uses the Home Office list of April 1, 2025. Where it says "not on the Home Office list," the drug does not appear on that list of commonly encountered drugs. Each name links to a page with the US and UK status together.
| Drug | Class (Misuse of Drugs Act 1971) | Schedule (Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001) |
|---|---|---|
| Gabapentin | Class C | Schedule 3 |
| Pregabalin | Class C | Schedule 3 |
| Tramadol | Class C | Schedule 3 |
| Trazodone | Not on the Home Office list | Not on the Home Office list |
| Zolpidem | Class C | Schedule 4 Part 1 |
| Alprazolam | Class C | Schedule 4 Part 1 |
| Clonazepam | Class C | Schedule 4 Part 1 |
| Lorazepam | Class C | Schedule 4 Part 1 |
| Diazepam | Class C | Schedule 4 Part 1 |
| Amphetamine | Class B (Class A if prepared for injection) | Schedule 2 |
| Lisdexamfetamine (listed as lisdexamphetamine) | Class B | Schedule 2 |
| Ketamine | Class B | Schedule 2 |
| Fentanyl | Class A | Schedule 2 |
| Phentermine | Class C | Schedule 3 |
| Testosterone | Class C | Schedule 4 Part 2 |
| Buprenorphine | Class C | Schedule 3 |
| Cyclobenzaprine | Not on the Home Office list | Not on the Home Office list |
| Hydroxyzine | Not on the Home Office list | Not on the Home Office list |
Questions about a particular prescription belong with the prescriber or pharmacist, and for urgent help in the UK the number is 999. See how we work for our sources and the legal notice.
Questions readers ask
What are class A drugs?
Class A is the top class of controlled drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. Examples on the Home Office list include diamorphine (heroin), cocaine, LSD, MDMA, methadone, morphine and fentanyl. gov.uk gives the maximum penalty for possession as up to 7 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both, and for supply up to life in prison, an unlimited fine or both.
What is a controlled drug in the UK?
It is a drug listed in Schedule 2 to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, which divides controlled drugs into Class A, B and C. The Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 place the same drugs into Schedules 1 to 5 for lawful handling.
What class drug is ketamine?
Ketamine is Class B and Schedule 2 on the Home Office list of commonly encountered controlled drugs, updated April 1, 2025. In the US it is Schedule III.
Is there a full list of class A drugs in the UK?
The Home Office list covers the most commonly encountered controlled drugs and states that it is not exhaustive. The complete lists are in Schedule 2 to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 on legislation.gov.uk.
Can a Class B drug become Class A?
Yes, in one case. The Home Office list notes that certain Class B drugs, among them amphetamine, codeine and methylphenidate, fall within Class A if they are in a preparation designed for administration by injection.
Sources
- Home Office, List of most commonly encountered drugs currently controlled under the misuse of drugs legislation (updated April 1, 2025), accessed October 6, 2026
- GOV.UK, Drugs penalties, accessed October 6, 2026
- legislation.gov.uk, Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, Schedule 2 and section 2A, accessed October 6, 2026
- legislation.gov.uk, Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 (regulation 4 and Schedules 1 to 5), accessed October 6, 2026
- legislation.gov.uk, Psychoactive Substances Act 2016, section 2 and Schedule 1, accessed October 6, 2026
- Home Office, Circular 004/2016: Psychoactive Substances Act 2016, accessed October 6, 2026
- Home Office, Circular 019/2018: Control of pregabalin and gabapentin under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, accessed October 6, 2026