Drug Enforcement Administration

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21 USC Sec. 953 01/22/02

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TITLE 21 - FOOD AND DRUGS
CHAPTER 13 - DRUG ABUSE PREVENTION AND CONTROL
SUBCHAPTER II - IMPORT AND EXPORT

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Sec. 953. Exportation of controlled substances

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(a) Narcotic drugs in schedule I, II, III, or IV It shall be unlawful to export from the United States any narcotic drug in schedule I, II, III, or IV unless -

(1) it is exported to a country which is a party to -

(A) the International Opium Convention of 1912 for the Suppression of the Abuses of Opium, Morphine, Cocaine, and Derivative Drugs, or to the International Opium Convention signed at Geneva on February 19, 1925; or

(B) the Convention for Limiting the Manufacture and Regulating the Distribution of Narcotic Drugs concluded at Geneva, July 13, 1931, as amended by the protocol signed at Lake Success on December 11, 1946, and the protocol bringing under international control drugs outside the scope of the convention of July 13, 1931, for limiting the manufacture and regulating the distribution of narcotic drugs (as amended by the protocol signed at Lake Success on December 11, 1946), signed at Paris, November 19, 1948; or (C) the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961, signed at New York, March 30, 1961;

(2) such country has instituted and maintains, in conformity with the conventions to which it is a party, a system for the control of imports of narcotic drugs which the Attorney General deems adequate;

(3) the narcotic drug is consigned to a holder of such permits or licenses as may be required under the laws of the country of import, and a permit or license to import such drug has been issued by the country of import;

(4) substantial evidence is furnished to the Attorney General by the exporter that (A) the narcotic drug is to be applied exclusively to medical or scientific uses within the country of import, and (B) there is an actual need for the narcotic drug for medical or scientific uses within such country; and (5) a permit to export the narcotic drug in each instance has been issued by the Attorney General.

(b) Exception for exportation for special scientific purposes
Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section, the Attorney General may authorize any narcotic drug (including crude opium and coca leaves) in schedule I, II, III, or IV to be exported from the United States to a country which is a party to any of the international instruments mentioned in subsection (a) of this section if the particular drug is to be applied to a special scientific purpose in the country of destination and the authorities of such country will permit the importation of the particular drug for such purpose.

(c) Nonnarcotic controlled substances in schedule I or II
It shall be unlawful to export from the United States any nonnarcotic controlled substance in schedule I or II unless -

(1) it is exported to a country which has instituted and maintains a system which the Attorney General deems adequate for the control of imports of such substances;

(2) the controlled substance is consigned to a holder of such permits or licenses as may be required under the laws of the country of import;

(3) substantial evidence is furnished to the Attorney General that (A) the controlled substance is to be applied exclusively to medical, scientific, or other legitimate uses within the country to which exported, (B) it will not be exported from such country, and (C) there is an actual need for the controlled substance for medical, scientific, or other legitimate uses within the country; and

(4) a permit to export the controlled substance in each instance has been issued by the Attorney General.

(d) Exception for exportation for special scientific purposes
Notwithstanding subsection (c) of this section, the Attorney General may authorize any nonnarcotic controlled substance in schedule I or II to be exported from the United States if the particular substance is to be applied to a special scientific purpose in the country of destination and the authorities of such country will permit the importation of the particular drug for such purpose.

(e) Nonnarcotic controlled substances in schedule III or IV; controlled substances in schedule V
It shall be unlawful to export from the United States to any other country any nonnarcotic controlled substance in schedule III or IV or any controlled substances in schedule V unless -

(1) there is furnished (before export) to the Attorney General documentary proof that importation is not contrary to the laws or regulations of the country of destination for consumption for medical, scientific, or other legitimate purposes;

(2) it is exported pursuant to such notification or declaration, or in the case of any nonnarcotic controlled substance in schedule III, such export permit, notification, or declaration as the Attorney General may by regulation prescribe; and

(3) in the case of a nonnarcotic controlled substance in schedule IV or V which is also listed in schedule I or II of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances, it is exported pursuant to such export permit requirements, prescribed by regulation of the Attorney General, as are required by the Convention.

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(Pub. L. 91-513, title III, Sec. 1003, Oct. 27, 1970, 84 Stat. 1286; Pub. L. 95-633, title I, Sec. 106, Nov. 10, 1978, 92 Stat. 3772; Pub. L. 98-473, title II, Sec. 522, Oct. 12, 1984, 98 Stat. 2076.)

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REFERENCES IN TEXT

Schedules I, II, III, IV and V, referred to in text, are set out in section 812(c) of this title.

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AMENDMENTS

1984 - Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 98-473 in cl. (1) inserted provisions for consumption for medical, etc., purposes, added cls. (2) and (3), and struck out former cls. (2) to (4), respectively, relating to a special controlled substance invoice, two additional copies of the invoice, and exportation of a nonnarcotic controlled substance in schedule III, IV, or V, also listed in schedule I or II of the Convention.

1978 - Subsec. (e)(4). Pub. L. 95-633 added par. (4).

EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1978 AMENDMENT

Amendment by Pub. L. 95-633 effective on date the Convention on Psychotropic Substances enters into force in the United States (July 15, 1980), see section 112 of Pub. L. 95-633, set out as an Effective Date note under section 801a of this title.

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SECTION REFERRED TO IN OTHER SECTIONS

This section is referred to in sections 954, 956, 960 of this title; title 18 section 5032; title 48 section 1972.

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