TITLE 21 - FOOD AND DRUGS
CHAPTER 13 - DRUG ABUSE PREVENTION AND CONTROL
SUBCHAPTER I - CONTROL AND ENFORCEMENT
Part D - Offenses and Penalties
HEAD
Sec. 843. Prohibited acts C
STATUTE
(a) Unlawful acts
It shall be unlawful for any person knowingly or intentionally -
(1) who is a registrant to distribute a controlled substance
classified in schedule I or II, in the course of his legitimate
business, except pursuant to an order or an order form as
required by section 828 of this title;
(2) to use in the course of the manufacture, distribution, or
dispensing of a controlled substance, or to use for the purpose
of acquiring or obtaining a controlled substance, a registration
number which is fictitious, revoked, suspended, expired, or
issued to another person;
(3) to acquire or obtain possession of a controlled substance
by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, deception, or subterfuge;
(4)(A) to furnish false or fraudulent material information in,
or omit any material information from, any application, report,
record, or other document required to be made, kept, or filed
under this subchapter or subchapter II of this chapter, or (B) to
present false or fraudulent identification where the person is
receiving or purchasing a listed chemical and the person is
required to present identification under section 830(a) of this
title;
(5) to make, distribute, or possess any punch, die, plate,
stone, or other thing designed to print, imprint, or reproduce
the trademark, trade name, or other identifying mark, imprint, or
device of another or any likeness of any of the foregoing upon
any drug or container or labeling thereof so as to render such
drug a counterfeit substance;
(6) to possess any three-neck round-bottom flask, tableting
machine, encapsulating machine, or gelatin capsule, or any
equipment, chemical, product, or material which may be used to
manufacture a controlled substance or listed chemical, knowing,
intending, or having reasonable cause to believe, that it will be
used to manufacture a controlled substance or listed chemical in
violation of this subchapter or subchapter II of this chapter;
(7) to manufacture, distribute, export, or import any three-
neck round-bottom flask, tableting machine, encapsulating
machine, or gelatin capsule, or any equipment, chemical, product,
or material which may be used to manufacture a controlled
substance or listed chemical, knowing, intending, or having
reasonable cause to believe, that it will be used to manufacture
a controlled substance or listed chemical in violation of this
subchapter or subchapter II of this chapter or, in the case of an
exportation, in violation of this subchapter or subchapter II of
this chapter or of the laws of the country to which it is
exported;
(8) to create a chemical mixture for the purpose of evading a
requirement of section 830 of this title or to receive a chemical
mixture created for that purpose; or
(9) to distribute, import, or export a list I chemical without
the registration required by this subchapter or subchapter II of
this chapter.
(b) Communication facility
It shall be unlawful for any person knowingly or intentionally to
use any communication facility in committing or in causing or
facilitating the commission of any act or acts constituting a
felony under any provision of this subchapter or subchapter II of
this chapter. Each separate use of a communication facility shall
be a separate offense under this subsection. For purposes of this
subsection, the term "communication facility" means any and all
public and private instrumentalities used or useful in the
transmission of writing, signs, signals, pictures, or sounds of all
kinds and includes mail, telephone, wire, radio, and all other
means of communication.
(c) Advertisement
(1) It shall be unlawful for any person to place in any
newspaper, magazine, handbill, or other publications, any written
advertisement knowing that it has the purpose of seeking or
offering illegally to receive, buy, or distribute a Schedule (!1) I
controlled substance. As used in this section the term
"advertisement" includes, in addition to its ordinary meaning, such
advertisements as those for a catalog of Schedule (!1) I controlled
substances and any similar written advertisement that has the
purpose of seeking or offering illegally to receive, buy, or
distribute a Schedule (!1) I controlled substance. The term
"advertisement" does not include material which merely advocates
the use of a similar material, which advocates a position or
practice, and does not attempt to propose or facilitate an actual
transaction in a Schedule (!1) I controlled substance.
(2)(A) It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly or
intentionally use the Internet, or cause the Internet to be used,
to advertise the sale of, or to offer to sell, distribute, or
dispense, a controlled substance where such sale, distribution, or
dispensing is not authorized by this subchapter or by the
Controlled Substances Import and Export Act [21 U.S.C. 951 et
seq.].
(B) Examples of activities that violate subparagraph (A) include,
but are not limited to, knowingly or intentionally causing the
placement on the Internet of an advertisement that refers to or
directs prospective buyers to Internet sellers of controlled
substances who are not registered with a modification under section
823(f) of this title.
(C) Subparagraph (A) does not apply to material that either -
(i) merely advertises the distribution of controlled substances
by nonpractitioners to the extent authorized by their
registration under this subchapter; or
(ii) merely advocates the use of a controlled substance or
includes pricing information without attempting to facilitate an
actual transaction involving a controlled substance.
(d) Penalties
(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), any person who violates
this section shall be sentenced to a term of imprisonment of not
more than 4 years, a fine under title 18, or both; except that if
any person commits such a violation after one or more prior
convictions of him for violation of this section, or for a felony
under any other provision of this subchapter or subchapter II of
this chapter or other law of the United States relating to narcotic
drugs, marihuana, or depressant or stimulant substances, have
become final, such person shall be sentenced to a term of
imprisonment of not more than 8 years, a fine under title 18, or
both.
(2) Any person who, with the intent to manufacture or to
facilitate the manufacture of methamphetamine, violates paragraph
(6) or (7) of subsection (a) of this section, shall be sentenced to
a term of imprisonment of not more than 10 years, a fine under
title 18, or both; except that if any person commits such a
violation after one or more prior convictions of that person -
(A) for a violation of paragraph (6) or (7) of subsection (a)
of this section;
(B) for a felony under any other provision of this subchapter
or subchapter II of this chapter; or
(C) under any other law of the United States or any State
relating to controlled substances or listed chemicals,
has become final, such person shall be sentenced to a term of
imprisonment of not more than 20 years, a fine under title 18, or
both.
(e) Additional penalties
In addition to any other applicable penalty, any person convicted
of a felony violation of this section relating to the receipt,
distribution, manufacture, exportation, or importation of a listed
chemical may be enjoined from engaging in any transaction involving
a listed chemical for not more than ten years.
(f) Injunctions
(1) In addition to any penalty provided in this section, the
Attorney General is authorized to commence a civil action for
appropriate declaratory or injunctive relief relating to violations
of this section, section 842 of this title, or 856 (!2) of this
title.
(2) Any action under this subsection may be brought in the
district court of the United States for the district in which the
defendant is located or resides or is doing business.
(3) Any order or judgment issued by the court pursuant to this
subsection shall be tailored to restrain violations of this section
or section 842 of this title.
(4) The court shall proceed as soon as practicable to the hearing
and determination of such an action. An action under this
subsection is governed by the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure
except that, if an indictment has been returned against the
respondent, discovery is governed by the Federal Rules of Criminal
Procedure.
SOURCE
(Pub. L. 91-513, title II, Sec. 403, Oct. 27, 1970, 84 Stat. 1263;
Pub. L. 95-633, title II, Sec. 202(b)(3), Nov. 10, 1978, 92 Stat.
3776; Pub. L. 98-473, title II, Sec. 516, Oct. 12, 1984, 98 Stat.
2074; Pub. L. 99-570, title I, Sec. 1866(a), Oct. 27, 1986, 100
Stat. 3207-54; Pub. L. 100-690, title VI, Sec. 6057, Nov. 18, 1988,
102 Stat. 4319; Pub. L. 103-200, Sec. 3(g), Dec. 17, 1993, 107
Stat. 2337; Pub. L. 103-322, title IX, Sec. 90106, Sept. 13, 1994,
108 Stat. 1988; Pub. L. 104-237, title II, Secs. 203(a), 206(b),
Oct. 3, 1996, 110 Stat. 3102, 3103; Pub. L. 107-273, div. B, title
IV, Sec. 4002(d)(2)(C), Nov. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 1810; Pub. L. 108-
21, title VI, Sec. 608(d), Apr. 30, 2003, 117 Stat. 691; Pub. L.
110-425, Sec. 3(g), Oct. 15, 2008, 122 Stat. 4830.)
REFERENCES IN TEXT
Schedules I and II, referred to in subsecs. (a)(1) and (c)(1),
are set out in section 812(c) of this title.
This subchapter, referred to in subsec. (c)(2)(A), (C)(i), was in
the original "this title", meaning title II of Pub. L. 91-513, Oct.
27, 1970, 84 Stat. 1242, and is popularly known as the "Controlled
Substances Act". For complete classification of title II to the
Code, see second paragraph of Short Title note set out under
section 801 of this title and Tables.
The Controlled Substances Import and Export Act, referred to in
subsec. (c)(2)(A), is title III of Pub. L. 91-513, Oct. 27, 1970,
84 Stat. 1285, which is classified principally to subchapter II
(Sec. 951 et seq.) of this chapter. For complete classification of
this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section
951 of this title and Tables.
The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, referred to in subsec.
(f)(4), are set out in the Appendix to Title 28, Judiciary and
Judicial Procedure.
The Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, referred to in subsec.
(f)(4), are set out in the Appendix to Title 18, Crimes and
Criminal Procedure.
AMENDMENTS
2008 - Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 110-425 designated existing
provisions as par. (1) and added par. (2).
2003 - Subsec. (f)(1). Pub. L. 108-21 substituted "this section,
section 842 of this title, or 856 of this title" for "this section
or section 842 of this title".
2002 - Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 107-273 substituted "under title 18,
or both;" for "of not more than $30,000, or both;" in two places
and "under title 18, or both." for "of not more than $60,000, or
both." in two places.
1996 - Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 104-237, Sec. 203(a), inserted par.
(1) designation, substituted "Except as provided in paragraph (2),
any person" for "Any person", and added par. (2).
Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 104-237, Sec. 206(b)(1), inserted
"manufacture, exportation," after "distribution," and struck out
"regulated" after "engaging in any".
Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 104-237, Sec. 206(b)(2), added subsec. (f).
1994 - Subsecs. (c) to (e). Pub. L. 103-322 added subsec. (c) and
redesignated former subsecs. (c) and (d) as (d) and (e),
respectively.
1993 - Subsec. (a)(6), (7). Pub. L. 103-200, Sec. 3(g)(1),
amended pars. (6) and (7) generally. Prior to amendment, pars. (6)
and (7) read as follows:
"(6) to possess any three-neck round-bottom flask, tableting
machine, encapsulating machine, gelatin capsule, or equipment
specially designed or modified to manufacture a controlled
substance, with intent to manufacture a controlled substance except
as authorized by this subchapter;
"(7) to manufacture, distribute, or import any three-neck round-
bottom flask, tableting machine, encapsulating machine, gelatin
capsule, or equipment specially designed or modified to manufacture
a controlled substance, knowing that it will be used to manufacture
a controlled substance except as authorized by this subchapter;
or".
Subsec. (a)(9). Pub. L. 103-200, Sec. 3(g)(2), (3), added par.
(9).
1988 - Subsec. (a)(4)(B). Pub. L. 100-690, Sec. 6057(a)(1),
substituted "a listed chemical" for "piperidine".
Subsec. (a)(6) to (8). Pub. L. 100-690, Sec. 6057(a)(2)-(4),
added pars. (6) to (8).
Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 100-690, Sec. 6057(b), added subsec. (d).
1986 - Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 99-570 substituted a semicolon for
the period at end.
1984 - Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 98-473 added applicability to
dispensing, acquiring, or obtaining a controlled substance, and
applicability to an expired number.
1978 - Subsec. (a)(4). Pub. L. 95-633, Sec. 202(b)(3), designated
existing provisions as subpar. (A) and added subpar. (B).
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2008 AMENDMENT
Amendment by Pub. L. 110-425 effective 180 days after Oct. 15,
2008, except as otherwise provided, see section 3(j) of Pub. L. 110-
425, set out as a note under section 802 of this title.
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1993 AMENDMENT
Amendment by Pub. L. 103-200 effective on date that is 120 days
after Dec. 17, 1993, see section 11 of Pub. L. 103-200, set out as
a note under section 802 of this title.
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1988 AMENDMENT
Amendment by Pub. L. 100-690 effective 120 days after Nov. 18,
1988, see section 6061 of Pub. L. 100-690, set out as a note under
section 802 of this title.
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1978 AMENDMENT
Amendment by Pub. L. 95-633 effective Nov. 10, 1978, except as
otherwise provided, see section 203(a) of Pub. L. 95-633, set out
as an Effective Date note under section 830 of this title.
REPEALS
Pub. L. 96-359, Sec. 8(b), Sept. 26, 1980, 94 Stat. 1194,
repealed section 203(d) of Pub. L. 95-633, which had provided for
the repeal of subsec. (a)(4)(B) of this section effective Jan. 1,
1981.
FOOTNOTE
(!1) So in original. Probably should not be capitalized.
(!2) So in original. Probably should be preceded by "section".
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