2020 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 21a - Consumer Protection
Chapter 420b - Dependency-Producing Drugs
Section 21a-243. (Formerly Sec. 19-451) - Regulations. Schedules of controlled substances.

(a) The Commissioner of Consumer Protection shall adopt regulations for the efficient enforcement and operation of sections 21a-244 to 21a-282, inclusive.

(b) The Commissioner of Consumer Protection may, so far as may be consistent with sections 21a-244 to 21a-282, inclusive, adopt the regulations existing under the federal Controlled Substances Act and pertinent regulations existing under the federal food and drug laws and conform regulations adopted hereunder with those existing under the federal Controlled Substances Act and federal food and drug laws.

(c) The Commissioner of Consumer Protection, acting upon the advice of the Commission of Pharmacy, may by regulation designate, after investigation, as a controlled substance, a substance or chemical composition containing any quantity of a substance which has been found to have a stimulant, depressant or hallucinogenic effect upon the higher functions of the central nervous system and having a tendency to promote abuse or physiological or psychological dependence or both. Such substances are classifiable as amphetamine-type, barbiturate-type, cannabis-type, cocaine-type, hallucinogenic, morphine-type and other stimulant and depressant substances, and specifically exclude alcohol, caffeine and nicotine. Substances which are designated as controlled substances shall be classified in schedules I to V by regulations adopted pursuant to subsection (a) of this section.

(d) The Commissioner of Consumer Protection may by regulation change the schedule in which a substance classified as a controlled substance in schedules I to V of the controlled substance scheduling regulations is placed. On or before December 15, 1986, and annually thereafter, the commissioner shall submit a list of all such schedule changes to the chairmen and ranking members of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to public health.

(e) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (a) to (d), inclusive, of this section, not later than January 1, 2013, the Commissioner of Consumer Protection shall submit amendments to sections 21a-243-7 and 21a-243-8 of the regulations of Connecticut state agencies to the standing legislative regulation review committee to reclassify marijuana as a controlled substance in schedule II under the Connecticut controlled substance scheduling regulations, except that for any marijuana product that has been approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration or successor agency to have a medical use and that is reclassified in any schedule of controlled substances or unscheduled by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration or successor agency, the commissioner shall adopt the schedule designated by the Drug Enforcement Administration or successor agency.

(f) A new or amended regulation under this chapter shall be adopted in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54.

(g) In the event of any inconsistency between the contents of schedules I, II, III, IV and V of the controlled substance scheduling regulations and schedules I, II, III, IV and V of the federal Controlled Substances Act, as amended, the provisions of the federal act shall prevail, except (1) when the provisions of the Connecticut controlled substance scheduling regulations place a controlled substance in a schedule with a higher numerical designation, schedule I being the highest designation, or (2) as provided in subsection (e) of this section.

(h) When a drug that is not a controlled substance in schedule I, II, III, IV or V, as designated in the Connecticut controlled substance scheduling regulations, is designated to be a controlled substance under the federal Controlled Substances Act, such drug shall be considered to be controlled at the state level in the same numerical schedule from the effective date of the federal classification. Nothing in this section shall prevent the Commissioner of Consumer Protection from designating a controlled substance differently in the Connecticut controlled substance scheduling regulations than such controlled substance is designated in the federal Controlled Substances Act, as amended from time to time.

(i) The Commissioner of Consumer Protection shall, by regulation adopted pursuant to this section, designate the following substances, by whatever official, common, usual, chemical or trade name designation, as controlled substances and classify each such substance in the appropriate schedule:

(1) 1-pentyl-3-(1-naphthoyl)indole (JWH-018);

(2) 1-butyl-3-(1-naphthoyl)indole (JWH-073);

(3) 1-[2-(4-morpholinyl)ethyl]-3-(1-naphthoyl)indole (JWH-200);

(4) 5-(1,1-dimethylheptyl)-2-[(1R,3S)-3-hydroxycyclohexyl]-phenol (CP-47,497);

(5) 5-(1,1-dimethyloctyl)-2-[(1R,3S)-3-hydroxycyclohexyl]-phenol (cannabicyclohexanol; CP-47,497 C8 homologue);

(6) Salvia divinorum; and

(7) Salvinorum A.

(j) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (c) of this section, the Commissioner of Consumer Protection shall designate the following substances, by whatever official, common, usual, chemical or trade name designation, as controlled substances in schedule I of the controlled substances scheduling regulations:

(1) Mephedrone (4-methylmethcathinone); and

(2) MDPV (3,4-methyenedioxypyrovalerone).

(1967, P.A. 555, S. 7; 737; 1969, P.A. 753, S. 4; 1972, P.A. 278, S. 2; P.A. 73-681, S. 3, 29; P.A. 86-96, S. 6, 7; P.A. 87-129, S. 3; P.A. 99-175, S. 49; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 146(c); P.A. 04-189, S. 1; P.A. 11-73, S. 1; 11-210, S. 3; P.A. 12-55, S. 18; P.A. 19-177, S. 30, 31.)

History: 1969 act placed regulation of cannabis-type drugs under consumer protection commissioner's and public health council's joint jurisdiction in Subsec. (a); 1972 act substituted “substance(s)” for “drug(s)” and “Federal Controlled Substances Act” for “federal narcotic laws” and replaced detailed provisions re adoption of regulations with statement that adoption shall be pursuant to Secs. 4-166 to 4-185; P.A. 73-681 placed all regulations under jurisdiction of consumer protection commissioner, deleting reference to public health council; Sec. 19-451 transferred to Sec. 21a-243 in 1983; P.A. 86-96 made numerous technical changes, inserted new Subsec. (d) which allows the commissioner to make schedule changes by regulations, and relettered former Subsec. (d) as (e); P.A. 87-129 substituted reference to Sec. 21a-244 for Sec. 21a-242, repealed by the same act, provided that controlled substances shall be classified in schedules by regulations, and added Subsecs. (f) and (g); P.A. 99-175 made a technical change and increased number of days noncontrolled substances are considered controlled at state level from 120 to 240 days from effective date of federal classification; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6 replaced Commissioner of Consumer Protection with Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective July 1, 2004; P.A. 04-189 repealed Sec. 146 of June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, thereby reversing the merger of the Departments of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective June 1, 2004; P.A. 11-73 amended Subsec. (b) to make a technical change and added Subsec. (h) requiring commissioner by regulation to designate 7 specified substances as controlled substances and classify each such substance in appropriate schedule, effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 11-210 added provisions, codified by the Revisors as Subsec. (i), requiring commissioner to designate the substances mephedrone and MDPV as schedule I controlled substances, effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 12-55 added new Subsec. (e) to require commissioner to submit amendments to regulations to reclassify marijuana as a controlled substance in schedule II, redesignated existing Subsecs. (e) to (i) as Subsecs. (f) to (j) and amended redesignated Subsec. (g) to insert Subdiv. designators (1) and (2) and add exception as provided in Subsec. (e); P.A. 19-177 amended Subsec. (e) by adding provision re commissioner to adopt schedule designated by Drug Enforcement Administration and amended Subsec. (h) by deleting reference to 240 days and adding provision re Commissioner designating controlled substance differently from federal Controlled Substances Act, effective July 9, 2019.