controlled substance
22
5.1
- noun
- /kənˈtroʊldəd ˈsʌbstəns/
- NSFW
:
sustancia controlada
- Now you're under arrest for possession of a controlled substance.
- peyote, a controlled substance
- use of controlled substances
Up until not long ago it was considered a non narcotic controlled substance.
- Up until not long ago it was considered a non narcotic controlled substance.
Examples
-
Ma'am, are you under the influence of alcohol or any other controlled substance?
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The People of the State of Michigan find the defendant, Richard Wershe Jr., guilty of possession with the intent to distribute greater than 650 grams of a controlled substance, which, in the state of Michigan, carries a mandatory sentence of life - without the possibility of parole.
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Or maybe I should just take you outside and search you and your car for controlled substances.
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Crime, possession and use of controlled substances.
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Do you regularly use any illegal or controlled substances?
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Be clear about not allowing the distribution, sale, manufacture, or use of controlled substances on your property.
Blog text (13) -
The teens also had more acting-out problems in school, sexual activity, arrests, and use of controlled substances.
Academic text (2008) -
Regardless of public opinion, however, marijuana is a controlled substance, and recreational use, although decriminalized in some states, is still illegal.
Academic text (2004) -
Because peyote is a controlled substance, it may not be imported from Mexico, where it grows more abundantly.
Academic text (1996) -
In many countries, possession of a controlled substance can lead to serious legal consequences.
How Controlled
- NSFW
22
5.1
76
3.3
4
2.8
26
4.9
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is compositionally transparent: 'controlled' means regulated and 'substance' means a material, so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer it denotes a material whose possession/use is regulated (typically by law). While the specific legal/drug-classification nuance may require context, the core meaning is directly derivable from the constituents and is cross-linguistically common.
Etymology
Controlled substance comes from the image of medicines or drugs put 'under control' by the law. The word controlled shows they are closely watched or limited and substance means the drug or chemical, so the phrase means a drug 'regulated by law'.