Title 40. Public Health and Safety

Chapter 4. Food and Drugs

Part X. Uniform Controlled Dangerous Substances Law

40:969     Prohibited acts-Schedule IV; penalties

A. Manufacture; distribution. Except as authorized by this Part, it shall be unlawful for any person knowingly or intentionally: 

(1) To produce, manufacture, distribute or dispense or possess with intent to produce, manufacture, distribute, or dispense, a controlled dangerous substance classified in Schedule IV. 

(2) To create, distribute, or possess with intent to distribute, a counterfeit controlled dangerous substance classified in Schedule IV. 

B. Violations of Subsection A. Any person who violates Subsection A of this Section with respect to: 

(1) Flunitrazepam shall be sentenced to a term of imprisonment at hard labor for not less than one year nor more than twenty years and pay a fine of not more than fifty thousand dollars. 

(2) Any other controlled dangerous substance classified in Schedule IV, except flunitrazepam, shall be sentenced to a term of imprisonment, with or without hard labor, for not less than one year nor more than ten years and, in addition, may be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than fifteen thousand dollars. 

C. Possession.  It is unlawful for any person knowingly or intentionally to possess a controlled dangerous substance classified in Schedule IV unless such substance was obtained directly or pursuant to a valid prescription or order from a practitioner, or as provided in R.S. 40:978, while acting in the course of his professional practice or except as otherwise authorized by this Part. Any person who violates this Subsection with respect to: 

(1) Flunitrazepam shall be imprisoned, with or without hard labor, for not less than one year nor more than ten years, and may, in addition, be required to pay a fine of not more than five thousand dollars. 

(2) Any other controlled dangerous substance shall be imprisoned with or without hard labor for not less than one year nor more than five years and, in addition, may be required to pay a fine of not more than five thousand dollars. 

D. Whoever, with the intent to commit a crime of violence as defined in R.S. 14:2(B)(10) against an individual, violates Subsection A of this Section by administering a controlled dangerous substance to a person who is unaware that the controlled dangerous substance has been or is being administered to him, shall be sentenced to a term of imprisonment at hard labor for not less than five years nor more than forty years and may be fined not more than one hundred thousand dollars. 

Acts 1972, No. 634, § 1. Amended by Acts 1973, No. 207, § 6; Acts 1997, No. 1191, § 1; Acts 2005, No. 14, § 1; Acts 2017, No. 281, § 2; Acts 2018, No. 206, § 4.