Which agency is responsible for regulating controlled substances?

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is the agency responsible for regulating controlled substances in the United States. This agency operates under the Department of Justice and enforces the controlled substances laws and regulations. The DEA's primary goal is to prevent and control drug abuse and trafficking while ensuring that patients have access to necessary medications.

The DEA categorizes drugs into schedules based on their potential for abuse and medical utility, which helps to determine the legal framework surrounding their prescription, distribution, and use. This includes managing registries for practitioners who prescribe controlled substances and monitoring their prescribing patterns.

In contrast, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is primarily focused on ensuring the safety and efficacy of medications but does not directly regulate the distribution of controlled substances. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is involved in public health and safety but does not have a regulatory role regarding controlled substances. The World Health Organization (WHO) operates on an international level to promote global health standards but does not directly regulate controlled substances within individual countries.