California · Health and Safety Code - HSC

HSC §11153.5: (a) No wholesaler or manufacturer, or agent or employee of a wholesaler or manufacturer, shall furnish controlled substances for other than legitimate medical purposes.

Felony

What this law says, in plain English

Wholesalers and manufacturers cannot furnish controlled substances except for legitimate medical purposes. Violating this with knowledge or reckless disregard is punishable by imprisonment (county jail up to one year or state prison) and/or fines up to $20,000.

Read the full statutory text
(a) No wholesaler or manufacturer, or agent or employee of a wholesaler or manufacturer, shall furnish controlled substances for other than legitimate medical purposes. (b) Anyone who violates this section knowing, or having a conscious disregard for the fact, that the controlled substances are for other than a legitimate medical purpose shall be punishable by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code, or in a county jail not exceeding one year, or by a fine not exceeding twenty thousand dollars ($20,000), or by both that fine and imprisonment. (c) Factors to be considered in determining whether a wholesaler or manufacturer, or agent or employee of a wholesaler or manufacturer, furnished controlled substances knowing or having a conscious disregard for the fact that the controlled substances are for other than legitimate medical purposes shall include, but not be limited to, whether the use of controlled substances was for purposes of increasing athletic ability or performance, the amount of controlled substances furnished, the previous ordering pattern of the customer (including size and frequency of orders), the type and size of the customer, and where and to whom the customer distributes the product.

Verify at the official source: California legislative text

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This page is legal information, not legal advice. Code text is sourced from official publications and may lag amendments — always confirm at the official source linked above. Plain-English summaries and relationship data are AI-derived and reviewed on an ongoing basis; verify with a licensed attorney before acting.