How are drugs in America classified, and where can I find more information about their effects?

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has a chart on their Web site that lists each substance, its street name, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) schedule, how the drug is administered, and its intoxication effects.

The following sites offer a more in-depth look at the DEA schedules:

• DEA schedules, regulation, and penalties
• DEA’s extremely detailed list of controlled substances
• DEA’s Controlled Substances Act, with detailed description of schedules