Legality
The establishment of the legal framework for hallucinogenic substances has been influenced by various international conventions, and one of the most important is the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961, adopted by the United Nations. This convention was followed by the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988. These international agreements helped establish a global legal framework for drug control.
In 1971, a significant step in the regulation of psychotropic substances was achieved with the establishment of the Schedule of Controlled Substances by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in the United States. This classification, established by the Controlled Substances Act , divides substances into five categories, or "schedules", based on their potential for abuse, their recognized medical properties, and their potential for dependence.
The Schedule of Controlled Substances includes five categories, from Schedule I to Schedule V, classified according to the degree of dangerousness and potential for abuse:
1. Table I: Includes substances considered to have a high potential for abuse, no accepted medical use in the United States, and a lack of safety under medical supervision. Some hallucinogens such as LSD, MDMA (ecstasy), and psilocybin are classified in this category.
2. Table II - V: Includes substances with decreasing potential for abuse, and are often used for medical purposes. Substances in these categories may be regulated, but their use is generally more accepted in specific medical contexts.
The issue of regulating hallucinogenic substances remains complex, with ongoing debates over the best approach to balancing public safety concerns with the therapeutic potential of these substances. A real question is also posed by a very simple analysis showing the legal tolerance for nicotine and alcohol which have behavioral modification forces that are extreme to say the least :
