controlled substance

noun

: a drug that requires permission from a doctor to use

Examples of controlled substance in a Sentence

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
For instance, prescription drug monitoring programs, which every state now operates, assemble detailed logs of who filled which controlled substance prescription and when. — Jennifer D. Oliva, The Conversation, 17 Aug. 2026

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controlled school
controlled substance
controller
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“Controlled substance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/controlled%20substance. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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Legal Definition

controlled substance

noun
controlled sub·​stance
: a substance (as a drug) whose use and possession is regulated by law (as title 21, chapter 13 of the U.S. Code)
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