republic-os/legal/us/code/title-21/chapter-13/section-959.md

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LegalText	21 U.S.C. § 959	Possession, manufacture, or distribution of controlled substance	us	united_states_code	code_section	21	FOOD AND DRUGS	13	DRUG ABUSE PREVENTION AND CONTROL	959	21 U.S.C. § 959	current	119-100	2026-06-26	official	https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc21@119-100.zip	/us/usc/t21/s959	data/legal/raw/us/code/title-21/usc21.xml	ab860cce1f1ebaf088e79cc34c2fe0fcc12a8c4aea5414d07f3c7aeacd0f3b83	3dbd7a61c8616baefb8459bd8dac3b93242106deb416308c8d4dd5a9143176d1	504b99a2ca1a8072235d4ce566ef8d4a1c310c745c5fe0a0e5a8ecc8e4f89113	2026-07-04	official	legal us-code

21 U.S.C. § 959 - Possession, manufacture, or distribution of controlled substance

Text

(a) Manufacture or distribution for purpose of unlawful importation It shall be unlawful for any person to manufacture or distribute a controlled substance in schedule I or II or flunitrazepam or a listed chemical intending, knowing, or having reasonable cause to believe that such substance or chemical will be unlawfully imported into the United States or into waters within a distance of 12 miles of the coast of the United States.

(b) Manufacture or distribution of listed chemical for purpose of manufacture or unlawful importation of controlled substance It shall be unlawful for any person to manufacture or distribute a listed chemical—

(1) intending or knowing that the listed chemical will be used to manufacture a controlled substance; and

(2) intending, knowing, or having reasonable cause to believe that the controlled substance will be unlawfully imported into the United States.

(c) Possession, manufacture, or distribution by person on board aircraft It shall be unlawful for any United States citizen on board any aircraft, or any person on board an aircraft owned by a United States citizen or registered in the United States, to—

(1) manufacture or distribute a controlled substance or listed chemical; or

(2) possess a controlled substance or listed chemical with intent to distribute.

(d) Acts committed outside territorial jurisdiction of United States This section is intended to reach acts of manufacture or distribution committed outside the territorial jurisdiction of the United States.

(Pub. L. 91–513, title III, § 1009, Oct. 27, 1970, 84 Stat. 1289; Pub. L. 99–570, title III, § 3161(a), Oct. 27, 1986, 100 Stat. 3207–94; Pub. L. 104–237, title I, § 102(a), (b), Oct. 3, 1996, 110 Stat. 3100; Pub. L. 104–305, § 2(b)(2)(A), Oct. 13, 1996, 110 Stat. 3807; Pub. L. 114–154, § 2, May 16, 2016, 130 Stat. 387; Pub. L. 115–91, div. A, title X, § 1012(b), Dec. 12, 2017, 131 Stat. 1546.)

Notes

Editorial Notes

References in TextSchedules I and II, referred to in subsec. (a), are set out in section 812(c) of this title.

Amendments2017—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 115–91 struck out “; venue” after “United States” in heading and “Any person who violates this section shall be tried in the United States district court at the point of entry where such person enters the United States, or in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.” after “United States.” in text. 2016—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 114–154, § 2(2), substituted “It shall be unlawful for any person to manufacture or distribute a controlled substance in schedule I or II or flunitrazepam or a listed chemical intending, knowing, or having reasonable cause to believe that such substance or chemical will be unlawfully imported into the United States or into waters within a distance of 12 miles of the coast of the United States.” for “It shall be unlawful for any person to manufacture or distribute a controlled substance in schedule I or II or flunitrazepam or listed chemical— “(1) intending that such substance or chemical will be unlawfully imported into the United States or into waters within a distance of 12 miles of the coast of the United States; or “(2) knowing that such substance or chemical will be unlawfully imported into the United States or into waters within a distance of 12 miles of the coast of the United States.” Subsecs. (b) to (d). Pub. L. 114–154 added subsec. (b) and redesignated former subsecs. (b) and (c) as (c) and (d), respectively. 1996—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 104–305 inserted “or flunitrazepam” after “schedule I or II” in introductory provisions. Pub. L. 104–237, § 102(a), inserted “or listed chemical” after “schedule I or II” in introductory provisions and “or chemical” after “substance” in pars. (1) and (2). Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 104–237, § 102(b), inserted “or listed chemical” after “controlled substance” in pars. (1) and (2). 1986—Pub. L. 99–570 designated first sentence as subsec. (a) and inserted “or into waters within a distance of 12 miles of the coast of the United States” in pars. (1) and (2), added subsec. (b), and designated last two sentences as subsec. (c).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective DateSection effective on first day of seventh calendar month that begins after Oct. 26, 1970, see 1105(a) of Pub. L. 91–513, set out as a under section 951 of this title.