Dronabinol (Marinol) is classified as Schedule III.

• A. Schedule III
• B. Schedule II
• C. Schedule I
• D. Not scheduled

Answer: (A)

Medications are placed into schedules to reflect both medical use and potential for abuse. Dronabinol, a synthetic form of THC with approved medical uses (to treat chemotherapy-induced nausea and to stimulate appetite in AIDS), has an accepted medical use and a potential for abuse that is lower than drugs in Schedule II. That combination places it in Schedule III, which is for substances with medical use and a lower but present potential for abuse and dependence. By contrast, Schedule II drugs have high abuse potential with medical use and strict restrictions, while Schedule I drugs have no accepted medical use and high abuse potential. Marijuana itself is Schedule I federally, showing how a FDA-approved cannabinoid product can be placed in a different schedule. So, the classification is Schedule III.