2021 Texas Statutes
Health and Safety Code
Title 6 - Food, Drugs, Alcohol, and Hazardous Substances
Subtitle C - Substance Abuse Regulation and Crimes
Chapter 483 - Dangerous Drugs
Subchapter C. Criminal Penalties
Section 483.041. Possession of Dangerous Drug
Sec. 483.041. POSSESSION OF DANGEROUS DRUG. (a) A person commits an offense if the person possesses a dangerous drug unless the person obtains the drug from a pharmacist acting in the manner described by Section 483.042(a)(1) or a practitioner acting in the manner described by Section 483.042(a)(2).
(b) Except as permitted by this chapter, a person commits an offense if the person possesses a dangerous drug for the purpose of selling the drug.
(c) Subsection (a) does not apply to the possession of a dangerous drug in the usual course of business or practice or in the performance of official duties by the following persons or an agent or employee of the person:
(1) a pharmacy licensed by the board;
(2) a practitioner;
(3) a person who obtains a dangerous drug for lawful research, teaching, or testing, but not for resale;
(4) a hospital that obtains a dangerous drug for lawful administration by a practitioner;
(5) an officer or employee of the federal, state, or local government;
(6) a manufacturer or wholesaler licensed by the Department of State Health Services under Chapter 431 (Texas Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act);
(7) a carrier or warehouseman;
(8) a home and community support services agency licensed under and acting in accordance with Chapter 142;
(9) a licensed midwife who obtains oxygen for administration to a mother or newborn or who obtains a dangerous drug for the administration of prophylaxis to a newborn for the prevention of ophthalmia neonatorum in accordance with Section 203.353, Occupations Code;
(10) a salvage broker or salvage operator licensed under Chapter 432; or
(11) a certified laser hair removal professional under Subchapter M, Chapter 401, who possesses and uses a laser or pulsed light device approved by and registered with the Department of State Health Services and in compliance with department rules for the sole purpose of cosmetic nonablative hair removal.
(d) An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor.
(e) It is a defense to prosecution for an offense under Subsection (a) that the actor:
(1) was the first person to request emergency medical assistance in response to the possible overdose of another person and:
(A) made the request for medical assistance during an ongoing medical emergency;
(B) remained on the scene until the medical assistance arrived; and
(C) cooperated with medical assistance and law enforcement personnel; or
(2) was the victim of a possible overdose for which emergency medical assistance was requested, by the actor or by another person, during an ongoing medical emergency.
(f) The defense to prosecution provided by Subsection (e) is not available if:
(1) at the time the request for emergency medical assistance was made:
(A) a peace officer was in the process of arresting the actor or executing a search warrant describing the actor or the place from which the request for medical assistance was made; or
(B) the actor is committing another offense, other than an offense punishable under Section 481.115(b), 481.1151(b)(1), 481.116(b), 481.1161(b)(1) or (2), 481.117(b), 481.118(b), or 481.121(b)(1) or (2), or an offense under Section 481.119(b), 481.125(a), or 485.031(a);
(2) the actor has been previously convicted of or placed on deferred adjudication community supervision for an offense under this chapter or Chapter 481 or 485;
(3) the actor was acquitted in a previous proceeding in which the actor successfully established the defense under that subsection or Section 481.115(g), 481.1151(c), 481.116(f), 481.1161(c), 481.117(f), 481.118(f), 481.119(c), 481.121(c), 481.125(g), or 485.031(c); or
(4) at any time during the 18-month period preceding the date of the commission of the instant offense, the actor requested emergency medical assistance in response to the possible overdose of the actor or another person.
(g) The defense to prosecution provided by Subsection (e) does not preclude the admission of evidence obtained by law enforcement resulting from the request for emergency medical assistance if that evidence pertains to an offense for which the defense described by Subsection (e) is not available.
Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 678, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989. Amended by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 1100, Sec. 5.03(f), eff. Sept. 1, 1989; Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 16, Sec. 2, eff. April 2, 1993; Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 789, Sec. 20, eff. Sept. 1, 1993; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 307, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 1995; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 318, Sec. 41, eff. Sept. 1, 1995; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1095, Sec. 19, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1129, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 265, Sec. 9, eff. May 22, 2001; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1420, Sec. 14.798, eff. Sept. 1, 2001.
Amended by:
Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 1240 (H.B. 1535), Sec. 55, eff. September 1, 2005.
Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 303 (H.B. 449), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2010.
Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1 (S.B. 219), Sec. 3.1240, eff. April 2, 2015.
Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 808 (H.B. 1694), Sec. 11, eff. September 1, 2021.
