Abuse potential assessment of novel central nervous system active and psychedelic substances for controlled substances act scheduling recommendations.
Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) January 1, 2026 Jack E Henningfield, Sandra D Comer, Matthew L Banks et al. 5 citations
A panel of abuse potential experts convened to discuss challenges in assessing the abuse potential of novel drugs, especially psychedelics and cannabinoids. The U.S. Controlled Substances Act scheduling process, intended to balance public safety with medicinal access, can be overly restrictive when abuse potential is overestimated, as postmarketing evaluations have suggested for some substances. Existing methods recommended by the FDA are generally reliable for many drug categories but require modifications—such as behavioral economic assessments and broader outcome measures in human abuse potential studies—to accurately characterize newer agents. The commentary emphasizes the need for updated approaches to ensure valid scheduling decisions that protect public health without hindering access to beneficial medicines.