Alcohol Scheduling: History & Current Status Under Controlled Substances Act

Alcohol is not currently scheduled under the US Controlled Substances Act (CSA).

Historical Note

• The CSA (1970) initially placed alcohol in Schedule I (high abuse, no medical use) as a placeholder.
• It was removed before the Act took effect due to its unique legal status (21st Amendment, state regulation, widespread use).
• Alcohol has never been an active CSA scheduled substance.

Current Regulation

Alcohol is regulated by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) and state laws (licensing, age limits, sales hours, DUI statutes). It is not a DEA-controlled substance.