(a)(1) Except as authorized by this chapter or Chapter 16B of Title 7, it is unlawful for any person knowingly or intentionally to manufacture, distribute, or possess, with intent to manufacture or distribute, a controlled substance.
(2) Any person who violates this subsection with respect to:
(A) A controlled substance classified in Schedule I or II that is a narcotic or abusive drug shall be imprisoned for not more than 30 years or fined not more than $500,000, or both;
(B) Any other controlled substance classified in Schedule I, II, or III, except for a narcotic or abusive drug, is guilty of a crime and upon conviction may be imprisoned for not more than 5 years, fined not more than $50,000, or both; except that upon conviction of manufacturing, distributing or possessing with intent to distribute 1/2 pound or less of marijuana, a person who has not previously been convicted of manufacturing, distributing or possessing with intent to distribute a controlled substance or attempting to manufacture, distribute, or possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance may be imprisoned for not more than 180 days or fined not more than $1000 or both;
(C) A substance classified in Schedule IV, is guilty of a crime and upon conviction may be imprisoned for not more than 3 years, fined not more than $25,000, or both; or
(D) A substance classified in Schedule V, is guilty of a crime and upon conviction may be imprisoned for not more than one year, fined not more than $10,000, or both.
(b)(1) Except as authorized by this chapter, it is unlawful for any person to create, distribute, or possess with intent to distribute a counterfeit substance.
(2) Any person who violates this subsection with respect to:
(A) A counterfeit substance classified in Schedule I or II that is a narcotic or abusive drug shall be imprisoned for not more than 30 years or fined not more than $500,000, or both;
(B) Any other counterfeit substance classified in Schedule I, II, or III, except for a narcotic or abusive drug, is guilty of a crime and upon conviction may be imprisoned for not more than 5 years, fined not more than $50,000, or both;
(C) A counterfeit substance classified in Schedule IV, is guilty of a crime and upon conviction may be imprisoned for not more than 3 years, fined not more than $25,000, or both; or
(D) A counterfeit substance classified in Schedule V, is guilty of a crime and upon conviction may be imprisoned for not more than 1 year, fined not more than $10,000, or both.
(c) Repealed.
(d)(1) It is unlawful for any person knowingly or intentionally to possess a controlled substance unless the substance was obtained directly from, or pursuant to, a valid prescription or order of a practitioner while acting in the course of his or her professional practice, or except as otherwise authorized by this chapter or Chapter 16B of Title 7. Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, any person who violates this subsection is guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction may be imprisoned for not more than 180 days, fined not more than $1,000, or both.
(2) Any person who violates this subsection by knowingly or intentionally possessing the abusive drug phencyclidine in liquid form is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, may be imprisoned for not more than 3 years, fined not more than $3,000, or both.
(e)(1) If any person who has not previously been convicted of violating any provision of this chapter, or any other law of the United States or any state relating to narcotic or abusive drugs or depressant or stimulant substances is found guilty of a violation of subsection (d) of this section and has not previously been discharged and had the proceedings dismissed pursuant to this subsection, the court may, without entering a judgment of guilty and with the consent of such person, defer further proceedings and place him or her on probation upon such reasonable conditions as it may require and for such period, not to exceed one year, as the court may prescribe. Upon violation of a condition of the probation, the court may enter an adjudication of guilt and proceed as otherwise provided. The court may, in its discretion, dismiss the proceedings against such person and discharge him or her from probation before the expiration of the maximum period prescribed for such person's probation. If during the period of probation such person does not violate any of the conditions of the probation, then upon expiration of such period the court shall discharge such person and dismiss the proceedings against him or her. Discharge and dismissal under this subsection shall be without court adjudication of guilt, but a nonpublic record thereof shall be retained solely for the purpose of use by the courts in determining whether or not, in subsequent proceedings, such person qualifies under this subsection. Such discharge or dismissal shall not be deemed a conviction for purposes of disqualifications or disabilities imposed by law upon conviction of a crime (including the penalties prescribed under § 48-904.08 for second or subsequent convictions) or for any other purpose.
(2) Upon the dismissal of such person and discharge of the proceedings against him under paragraph (1) of this subsection, such person may apply to the court for an order to expunge from all official records (other than the nonpublic records to be retained under paragraph (1) of this subsection) all recordation relating to his or her arrest, indictment or information, trial, finding of guilty, and dismissal and discharge pursuant to this subsection. If the court determines, after hearing, that such person was dismissed and the proceedings against him or her discharged, it shall enter such order. The effect of such order shall be to restore such person, in the contemplation of this law, to the status he or she occupied before such arrest or indictment or information. No person as to whom such order has been entered shall be held thereafter under any provision of any law to be guilty of perjury or otherwise giving a false statement by reason of failure to recite or acknowledge such arrest, or indictment, or trial in response to any inquiry made of him or her for any purpose.
(f) The prosecutor may charge any person who violates the provisions of subsection (a) or (b) of this section relating to the distribution of or possession with intent to distribute a controlled or counterfeit substance with a violation of subsection (d) of this section if the interests of justice so dictate.
(g) For the purposes of this section, “offense” means a prior conviction for a violation of this section or a felony that relates to narcotic or abusive drugs, marijuana, or depressant or stimulant drugs, that is rendered by a court of competent jurisdiction in the United States.
CREDIT(S)
(Aug. 5, 1981, D.C. Law 4-29, § 401, 28 DCR 3081; Nov. 17, 1981, D.C. Law 4-52, § 3(c)(1), 28 DCR 4348; Mar. 9, 1983, D.C. Law 4-166, §§ 9, 10, 30 DCR 1082; Sept. 26, 1984, D.C. Law 5-121, § 2(a), 31 DCR 4046; Mar. 15, 1985, D.C. Law 5-171, § 2(a), 32 DCR 730; Feb. 28, 1987, D.C. Law 6-201, § 2(c), 34 DCR 524; June 13, 1990, D.C. Law 8-138, § 2(c), 37 DCR 2638; Aug. 20, 1994, D.C. Law 10-151, § 112(a), 41 DCR 2608; May 25, 1995, D.C. Law 10-258, § 3, 42 DCR 238; Apr. 18, 1996, D.C. Law 11-110, § 34(b), 43 DCR 530; June 8, 2001, D.C. Law 13-300, § 2(c), 47 DCR 7037; July 23, 2010, D.C. Law 18-196, § 2, 57 DCR 4522; July 27, 2010, D.C. Law 18-210, § 3(c), 57 DCR 4798.)
HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES
Prior Codifications
1981 Ed., § 33-541.
Effect of Amendments
D.C. Law 13-300, in subsec. (a), par. (2)(A), substituted “both; except that upon conviction of manufacturing, distributing or possessing with intent to distribute 1/2 pound or less of marijuana, a person who has not previously been convicted of manufacturing, distributing or possessing with intent to distribute a controlled substance or attempting to manufacture, distribute, or possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance may be imprisoned for not more than 180 days or fined not more than $1000 or both” for “both”.
D.C. Law 18-196 rewrote subsec. (d), which had read as follows:
“(d) It is unlawful for any person knowingly or intentionally to possess a controlled substance unless the substance was obtained directly from, or pursuant to, a valid prescription or order of a practitioner while acting in the course of his or her professional practice, or except as otherwise authorized by this chapter. Any person who violates this subsection is guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction may be imprisoned for not more than 180 days, fined not more than $1,000, or both.”
D.C. Law 18-210, in subsec. (a)(1), substituted “Except as authorized by this chapter or Chapter 16B of Title 7,” for “Except as authorized by this chapter”; and, in subsec. (d), substituted “except as otherwise authorized by this chapter or Chapter 16B of Title 7” for “except as otherwise authorized by this chapter”.
Legislative History of Laws
For legislative history of D.C. Law 4-29, see Historical and Statutory Notes following § 48-901.02.
Law 4-52 was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 4-270, which was referred to the Committee on Human Services. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on July 28, 1981 and September 15, 1981, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on September 25, 1981, it was assigned Act No. 4-89 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review.
For legislative history of D.C. Law 4-166, see Historical and Statutory Notes following § 48-901.02.
Law 5-121 was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 5-448. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on June 12, 1984, and June 26, 1984, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on July 13, 1984, it was assigned Act No. 5-173 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review.
Law 5-171 was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 5-443, which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on December 4, 1984, and December 18, 1984, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on January 11, 1985, it was assigned Act No. 5-236 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review.
For legislative history of D.C. Law 6-201, see Historical and Statutory Notes following § 48-901.02.
For legislative history of D.C. Law 8-50, see Historical and Statutory Notes following § 48-901.02.
For legislative history of D.C. Law 8-138, see Historical and Statutory Notes following § 48-904.03a.
Law 10-151, the “Omnibus Criminal Justice Reform Amendment Act of 1994,” was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 10-98, which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on March 29, 1994, and April 12, 1994, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on May 4, 1994, it was assigned Act No. 10-238 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review. D.C. Law 10-151 became effective on August 20, 1994.
Law 10-258, the “District of Columbia Nonviolent Offenses Mandatory-Minimum Sentences Amendment Act of 1994,” was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 10-617, which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on November 1, 1994, and December 6, 1994, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on December 28, 1994, it was assigned Act No. 10-392 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review. D.C. Law 10-258 became effective May 25, 1995.
For legislative history of D.C. Law 11-110, see Historical and Statutory Notes following § 46-201.
For D.C. Law 13-300, see notes following § 48-902.08.
Law 18-196, the “Liquid PCP Possession Amendment Act of 2010”, was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 18-556, which was referred to the Committee on Public Safety and the Judiciary. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on April 20, 2010, and May 4, 2010, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on May 19, 2010, it was assigned Act No. 18-407 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review. D.C. Law 18-196 became effective on July 23, 2010.
Law 18-210, the “Legalization of Marijuana for Medical Treatment Amendment Act of 2010”, was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 18-622, which was referred to the Committee on Health and the Committee on Public Safety and the Judiciary. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on April 20, 2010, and May 4, 2010, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on May 21, 2010, it was assigned Act No. 18-429 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review. D.C. Law 18-210 became effective on July 27, 2010.
Miscellaneous Notes
Mayor to implement public information program: See Historical and Statutory Notes following § 48-901.02.
