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This page, Mass. General Laws c.94C, is offered by

Mass. General Laws c.94C

Controlled substances act

This page links to the current, accurate version of each section of G.L. c.94C.

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Table of Contents

§ 1 Definitions 

Amended by St.2020, c.260, §§ 4-8, effective January 1, 2021

§ 2 Establishment of schedules of drugs or other controlled substances 
§ 2A Temporary placement of substance in schedule I 
§ 3 Findings required for placement in schedules 
§ 4 Exceptions from schedules 
§ 5 Dispensing controlled substances excepted under Sec. 4 
§ 6 Rules and regulations 
§ 7 Registration of persons who manufacture, distribute, dispense or possess controlled substances 

Amended by St.2020, c.260, §§ 9-13, effective January 1, 2021

§ 7A Registration as participant in prescription monitoring program 
§ 8 Research projects and studies 

Amended by St.2018, 208, § 27, effective January 1, 2020

§ 9 Administering and dispensing of controlled substances in course of professional practice; records, inspection 

Amended by St.2020, c.260, §§ 14-20, effective January 1, 2021

§ 10 Separate registration 
§ 11 Inspection of establishments of registrants or applicants 
§ 12 Issuance of registration to manufacture or distribute controlled substances 
§ 13 Suspension or revocation of registration; report of criminal violations; controlled substances affected placed under embargo; forfeiture; notice to bureau 
§ 14 Suspension of or refusal to renew registration pending proceedings in cases of imminent danger to public 
§ 15 Record-keeping and inventory requirements; filing of DEA Form 106 with city, town and state police departments upon discovery of theft or loss of controlled substance 
§ 16 Distribution between registrants; order form 
§ 17 Necessity of prescription for dispensing controlled substances 

Amended by St. 2018, c.208, §§ 28–30, effective January 1, 2020

§ 18 Issuance of prescription by practitioner or physician 

Amended by St.2020, c.260, §§ 21-21, effective January 1, 2021

§ 18A Prerequisites for issuing outpatient extended-release long-acting opioid in a non-abuse deterring form; written pain management treatment plan for long-term pain management 
§ 18B Voluntary non-opiate directive form 
§ 18C Patient education required before issuance of opioid prescription 
§ 19 Prescription; restrictions on issuance 
§ 19A Emergency contraception 

Added by St.2005, c. 91, § 2, effective December 14, 2005

§ 19B Opioid antagonist 

Amended by St.2018, c. 208, § 32, effective August 9, 2018

§ 19B 1/2 Exchange of naloxone or other opioid antagonist between registered entities 

Added by St.2018, 208, § 32, effective August 9, 2018

§ 19C High opiate overdose area pharmacies required to maintain continuous supply of naloxone rescue kits or opioid antagonist medications 
§ 19D Supply limitations for opiate prescriptions; exception for palliative care 
§ 20 Oral prescriptions 

Amended by St.2018, 208, § 33, effective January 1, 2020

§ 20A Radiopharmaceutical drugs 
§ 21 Packaging and labeling by pharmacist filling prescription; distribution of educational pamphlet  

Amended by St.2018, 208, §§ 34-45, effective January 1, 2020

§ 21A Prescriptions; prospective drug review and counseling by pharmacist 
§ 21B Advertisement and sale of prescription lock boxes by pharmacies 
§ 22 Contents of prescription written by practitioner 

Amended by St.2018, 208, § 37, effective January 1, 2020

§ 23 Written prescriptions; requirements and restrictions 

Amended by St.2018, 208, §§ 38-40, effective January 1, 2020

§ 24 Dispensing by practitioner for narcotic drug research or treatment of drug dependent persons 
§ 24A Electronic monitoring of the prescribing and dispensing of controlled substances and certain additional drugs 

Amended by St.2018, c.425, effective January 1, 2019

§ 24B Mean and median quantity and volume of prescriptions for opiates; notification of practitioner's own percentile ranking 
§ 25 Restrictions 
§ 26 Distribution in course of business in violation of Sec. 16 or furnishing false information in application, etc., prohibited 
§ 27 Sale of hypodermic syringes or hypodermic needles 

Amended by St.2018, c. 208, § 47-48, effective August 9, 2018

§ 27A Collection and disposal of spent non-commercially generated hypodermic needles and lancets 
§ 28 Jurisdiction of superior court 
§ 29 Educational programs for prevention of abuse of controlled substances 
§ 30 Administrative inspection of controlled premises 
§ 31 Classes of controlled substances; establishment of criminal penalties for violations of this chapter 

Amended by St.2018, c. 69, §§ 45-46, effective April 13, 2018

§ 32 Class A controlled substances; unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensing or possession with intent to manufacture, etc.; eligibility for parole 
§ 32A Class B controlled substances; unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensing or possession with intent to manufacture, etc.; eligibility for parole 

Amended by St.2018, c. 69, § 47, effective April 13, 2018

§ 32B Class C controlled substances; unlawful manufacturer, distribution, dispensing or possession with intent to manufacture, etc.; eligibility for parole 

Amended by St.2018, c. 69, § 47, effective April 13, 2018

§ 32C Class D controlled substances; unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensing, cultivation or possession with intent to manufacture, etc. 

Amended by St.2018, c. 69, § 48, effective April 13, 2018

§ 32D Class E controlled substances; unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensing, or possession with intent to manufacture, etc. 
§ 32E Trafficking in marihuana, cocaine, heroin, morphine, opium, etc.; eligibility for parole 

Amended by St.2018, c. 69, §§ 49-51, effective April 13, 2018

§ 32F Unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensing or possession with intent to manufacture, etc. of controlled substances in Classes A to C to minors 
§ 32G Counterfeit substances; unlawful creation, distribution, dispensing or possession with intent to distribute or dispense 
§ 32H Prosecutions not to be continued or placed on file; suspension or reduction of sentence; eligibility for parole, etc. 

Amended by St.2018, c.72, §§1-2, effective January 13, 2019

§ 32H 1/2 Good behavior deductions from sentence after serving mandatory minimum term of imprisonment; eligibility; parole; work release 

Amended by St.2018, c. 273, § 37

§ 32I Drug paraphernalia; sale, possession or manufacture with intent to sell; penalty; sale of tobacco rolling papers 

Amended by St.2018, c. 208, § 49, effective August 9, 2018

§ 32J Controlled substances violations in, on, or near school property; eligibility for parole 

Amended by St.2018, c. 69, § 57, effective April 13, 2018

§ 32K Inducing or abetting minor to distribute or sell controlled substances 
§ 32L Possession of 2 ounces or less of marihuana; civil penalty and forfeiture; other sanctions or disqualifications prohibited 

Amended by St.2017, c. 55, §§ 15-18, effective July 28, 2017

§ 32M Possession of 2 ounces or less of marihuana; drug awareness program 

Amended by St.2017, c. 55, § 19, effective July 28, 2017

§ 32N Possession of one ounce or less of marihuana; enforcement consistent with non-criminal disposition provisions of Sec. 21D of Chapter 40; duty of police department; notice; failure to file certificate of completion of drug awareness program 
§ 33 Unlawful use of registration numbers in manufacture or distribution, or fraudulently obtaining possession, of controlled substances; criminal penalties 
§ 34 Unlawful possession of particular controlled substances, including heroin and marihuana 
§ 34A Immunity from prosecution under Sec. 34 or finding of violation of condition of probation, pretrial release or parole for persons seeking medical assistance for self or other experiencing drug-related overdose 

Amended by St.2018, c. 69, §§ 58-59, effective April 13, 2018

§ 36 Protective custody of children found present where controlled substances are unlawfully kept or possessed  
§ 37 Theft of controlled substances from persons authorized to dispense or possess 
§ 38 Violation of Secs. 24(a), 25, 26 or 27 
§ 39 Violation of Secs. 21 or 22 
§ 40 Conspiracy 
§ 41 Arrest without warrant 
§ 42 Cooperation with federal and other state agencies 
§ 43 Conformity with federal acts  
§ 44 Violations of Sec. 34; acquittal, dismissal or indictment nol prossed; sealing of records 
§ 45 Photographing and fingerprinting of persons charged with felony 
§ 47 Forfeiture of property 

Amended by St.2018, c. 69, § 61, effective July 12, 2018

§ 47A Seized controlled substances and narcotic drugs; custodian; mailing for chemical analysis; destruction or disposal upon completion of trial 
§ 48 Severability 
§ 49 Enforcement of Sec. 24A 

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