Federal · Title 21 — Food and Drugs

21 U.S.C. § 18: Suspension of importation of adulterated articles

Civil

What this law says, in plain English

The President may suspend importation of adulterated food or drink articles from foreign countries when public health is endangered. Importing suspended articles becomes unlawful during the suspension period.

Read the full statutory text

Whenever the President is satisfied that there is good reason to believe that any importation is being made, or is about to be made, into the United States, from any foreign country, of any article used for human food or drink that is adulterated to an extent dangerous to the health or welfare of the people of the United States, or any of them, he may issue his proclamation suspending the importation of such articles from such country for such period of time as he may think necessary to prevent such importation; and during such period it shall be unlawful to import into the United States from the countries designated in the proclamation of the President any of the articles the importation of which is so suspended.

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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.