controlled substance

noun

1. any of a category of behavior-altering or addictive drugs, as heroin or cocaine, whose possession and use are restricted by law.

Word History and Origins

Origin of controlled substance¹

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

Federal employees remain bound by a federal law defining marijuana as a controlled substance, even though growing numbers of state and local jurisdictions have decriminalized it for medical or recreational purposes.

From Washington Post

He arrested Villalon for violating the emergency plan, possession of marijuana and possession of a controlled substance, a felony.

From ProPublica

The 20 other defendants, who were indicted between July and December, face charges including conspiracy to distribute the drugs and distribution of a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a public or private college or university.

From Washington Post

Chuang also noted that the government has lifted restrictions for mandatory in-person visits for patients seeking other drugs, including certain controlled substances such as opioids.

From Washington Post

Rather than receive treatment at a medical facility, Silva was arrested and placed in a jail cell on suspicion of being under the influence of a controlled substance.

From Voice of San Diego

It is a controlled substance in the U.S., Canada, and much of Western Europe, as well as China.

From The Daily Beast

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency still classifies hemp as an illegal, controlled substance, despite its paltry potency.

From The Daily Beast

“I could barely walk,” Sutton, who was incarcerated for criminal sales of a controlled substance, told The Daily Beast.

From The Daily Beast

In 2001, I was convicted of “possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.”

From The Daily Beast