Methylin: A Controlled Substance
Methylin® is a prescription medication used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (
ADHD) and
narcolepsy. There are currently two forms of Methylin available:
- Methylin Chewable Tablets® (methylphenidate chewable tablets)
- Methylin Oral Solution® (methylphenidate oral solution).
Methylin is classified as a controlled substance. Controlled substances are medications or drugs that are habit-forming and carry the potential for abuse. Certain prescription medications and most illegal street drugs are controlled substances. There are special rules for medications that are controlled substances. Also, there are five different groups (or "schedules") of controlled substances, each with its own specific rules.
Methylin, along with most other stimulants, is a Schedule II controlled substance. This means that it has a legitimate medical purpose, but is likely to be abused
(see Methylin Abuse for more information). Because it is a Schedule II controlled substance, there are special rules for prescribing it. Prescriptions for Methylin must be written in the "hard copy" form (they cannot be phoned or faxed to a pharmacy), and they cannot have any refills (you must get a new prescription each month).
All the special rules and "red tape" surrounding the use of Methylin may seem inconvenient, but they were put in place to prevent abuse of these medications. There may be other rules your healthcare providers must follow for
Methylin use, depending on the laws of your particular state.
