Schedule 2 (II) Drugs. The drug has a high potential for abuse. The drug has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States or a currently accepted medical use with severe restrictions. At least once or twice every weekend, patients who had undergone surgery a few days before would call me on a Saturday or Sunday morning (sometimes at 6 am) to say that they had run out of pain medication. In the United States, it is a schedule II controlled substance. In 2016, it was the 13th most prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 43 million prescriptions. [5] It is not available in the United Kingdom. [6] Schedule II drugs, substances, or chemicals are defined as drugs with a high potential for abuse, with use potentially leading to severe psychological or physical dependence. These drugs are also considered dangerous. Some examples of Schedule II drugs are: Hydrocodone combination products have been moved from a Schedule III controlled substance to a Schedule II drug, meaning the substances have a high potential for abuse, which may lead to severe. DEA today published a final rule moving hydrocodone combination products (HCPs) from Schedule III to Schedule II, effective October 6, 2014. APhA and most pharmacy groups strongly opposed the move. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. Drug Enforcement Administration. 21 CFR Part 1308 [Docket No. DEA-389] Schedules of Controlled Substances: Rescheduling of Hydrocodone Combination Products From Schedule III to Schedule II Schedule 3 (III) Drugs. The drug has a potential for abuse less than the drugs in schedules 1 and 2. The drug has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States. A schedule I drug is one for which a prescription cannot be written, such as heroin, LSD, crack, etc. A schedule II drug is one which doctors can write prescriptons for, but have a high potential. The Drug Enforcement Administration is reclassifying so-called hydrocodone combination products from Schedule III to Schedule II under the Controlled Substances Act, which will more tightly.