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Code of Virginia

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Chapter 7.
Crimes Involving Health and Safety
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  • Article 1.
    Drugs
    Read all
    • § 18.2-247
    (Effective July 1, 2027) Use of terms "controlled substances," "Schedules I, II, III, IV, V, and VI," "imitation controlled substance," and "counterfeit controlled substance" in Title 18.2
    § 18.2-247
    (Effective until July 1, 2027) Use of terms "controlled substances," "marijuana," "Schedules I, II, III, IV, V, and VI," "imitation controlled substance," and "counterfeit controlled substance" in Title 18.2.
    § 18.2-248
    (Effective July 1, 2027) Manufacturing, selling, giving, distributing, or possessing with intent to manufacture, sell, give, or distribute a controlled substance or an imitation controlled substance prohibited; penalties
    § 18.2-248
    (Effective until July 1, 2027) Manufacturing, selling, giving, distributing, or possessing with intent to manufacture, sell, give, or distribute a controlled substance or an imitation controlled substance prohibited; penalties.
    § 18.2-248.01
    (Effective until July 1, 2027) Transporting controlled substances into the Commonwealth; penalty.
    § 18.2-248.01
    (Effective July 1, 2027) Transporting controlled substances into the Commonwealth; penalty
    § 18.2-248.02
    Allowing a minor or incapacitated person to be present during manufacture or attempted manufacture of methamphetamine or fentanyl prohibited; penalties
    § 18.2-248.03
    Manufacturing, selling, giving, distributing, or possessing with intent to manufacture, sell, give, or distribute methamphetamine; penalty
    § 18.2-248.04
    Methamphetamine Cleanup Fund established
    § 18.2-248.05
    Prohibited equipment related to manufacturing, selling, giving, distributing, or possessing with intent to manufacture, sell, give, or distribute a controlled substance; penalties
    § 18.2-248.1
    (Repeal effective July 1, 2027) Penalties for sale, gift, distribution or possession with intent to sell, give or distribute marijuana.
    § 18.2-248.1:1
    Repealed
    § 18.2-248.2
    Repealed
    § 18.2-248.3
    Professional use of imitation controlled substances
    § 18.2-248.4
    Advertisement of imitation controlled substances prohibited; penalty
    § 18.2-248.5
    Illegal stimulants and steroids; penalty
    § 18.2-248.6
    Repealed
    § 18.2-248.8
    Repealed
    § 18.2-249
    Repealed
    § 18.2-250
    Possession of controlled substances unlawful
    § 18.2-250.1
    Repealed
    § 18.2-251
    (Effective July 1, 2027) Persons charged with first offense may be placed on probation; conditions; substance abuse screening, assessment treatment and education programs or services; drug tests; costs and fees; violations; discharge
    § 18.2-251
    (Effective until July 1, 2027) Persons charged with first offense may be placed on probation; conditions; substance abuse screening, assessment treatment and education programs or services; drug tests; costs and fees; violations; discharge.
    § 18.2-251.01
    Substance abuse screening and assessment for felony convictions
    § 18.2-251.02
    Drug Offender Assessment and Treatment Fund
    § 18.2-251.03
    (Effective July 1, 2027) Arrest and prosecution when experiencing or reporting an overdose or act of sexual violence
    § 18.2-251.03
    (Effective until July 1, 2027) Arrest and prosecution when experiencing or reporting an overdose or act of sexual violence.
    § 18.2-251.1
    (Repeal effective July 1, 2027) Possession or distribution of marijuana for medical purposes permitted.
    § 18.2-251.1:1
    (Effective July 1, 2027) Possession or distribution of cannabis oil; public schools
    § 18.2-251.1:1
    (Effective until July 1, 2027) Possession or distribution of cannabis oil; public schools.
    § 18.2-251.1:2
    (Effective July 1, 2027) Possession or distribution of medical cannabis; hospitals, nursing homes, and certified nursing facilities; hospice and hospice facilities; assisted living facilities
    § 18.2-251.1:2
    (Effective until July 1, 2027) Possession or distribution of medical cannabis; hospitals, nursing homes, and certified nursing facilities; hospice and hospice facilities; assisted living facilities.
    § 18.2-251.1:3
    (Effective July 1, 2027) Possession or distribution of cannabis oil, or industrial hemp; laboratories; Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Department of Law employees
    § 18.2-251.1:3
    (Effective until July 1, 2027) Possession or distribution of cannabis oil, or industrial hemp; laboratories; Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Department of Law employees.
    § 18.2-251.2
    Possession and distribution of flunitrazepam; enhanced penalty
    § 18.2-251.3
    Possession and distribution of gamma-butyrolactone; 1, 4-butanediol; enhanced penalty
    § 18.2-251.4
    Defeating drug and alcohol screening tests; penalty
    § 18.2-251.5
    Manufacturing, selling, giving, distributing, or possessing medetomidine or xylazine; penalties
    § 18.2-251.6
    Selling, giving, or distributing tianeptine product; civil penalty
    § 18.2-252
    (Effective July 1, 2027) Suspended sentence conditioned upon substance abuse screening, assessment, testing, and treatment or education
    § 18.2-252
    (Effective until July 1, 2027) Suspended sentence conditioned upon substance abuse screening, assessment, testing, and treatment or education.
    § 18.2-253
    Repealed
    § 18.2-254
    Commitment of convicted person for treatment for substance abuse
    § 18.2-254.1
    Recovery Court Act
    § 18.2-254.2
    Specialty dockets; report
    § 18.2-254.3
    Behavioral Health Docket Act
    § 18.2-255
    (Effective July 1, 2027) Distribution of certain drugs to persons under 18 prohibited; penalty
    § 18.2-255
    (Effective until July 1, 2027) Distribution of certain drugs to persons under 18 prohibited; penalty.
    § 18.2-255.1
    (Effective until July 1, 2027) Distribution, sale or display of printed material advertising instruments for use in administering marijuana or controlled substances to minors; penalty.
    § 18.2-255.1
    (Effective July 1, 2027) Distribution, sale or display of printed material advertising instruments for use in administering controlled substances to minors; penalty
    § 18.2-255.2
    (Effective July 1, 2027) Prohibiting the sale or manufacture of drugs on or near certain properties; penalty
    § 18.2-255.2
    (Effective until July 1, 2027) Prohibiting the sale or manufacture of drugs on or near certain properties; penalty.
    § 18.2-256
    Conspiracy
    § 18.2-257
    Attempts
    § 18.2-258
    (Effective July 1, 2027) Certain premises deemed common nuisance; penalty
    § 18.2-258
    (Effective until July 1, 2027) Certain premises deemed common nuisance; penalty.
    § 18.2-258.01
    Enjoining nuisances involving illegal drug transactions
    § 18.2-258.02
    (Effective July 1, 2027) Maintaining a fortified drug house; penalty
    § 18.2-258.02
    (Effective until July 1, 2027) Maintaining a fortified drug house; penalty.
    § 18.2-258.1
    (Effective July 1, 2027) Obtaining drugs, procuring administration of controlled substances, etc., by fraud, deceit or forgery
    § 18.2-258.1
    (Effective until July 1, 2027) Obtaining drugs, procuring administration of controlled substances, etc., by fraud, deceit or forgery.
    § 18.2-258.2
    Assisting individuals in unlawfully procuring prescription drugs; penalty
    § 18.2-259
    Penalties to be in addition to civil or administrative sanctions
    § 18.2-259.1
    Repealed
    § 18.2-260
    Prescribing, dispensing, etc., drug except as authorized in article and Drug Control Act; violations for which no penalty provided
    § 18.2-260.1
    Falsifying patient records
    § 18.2-261
    Monetary penalty
    § 18.2-262
    Witnesses not excused from testifying or producing evidence because of self-incrimination
    § 18.2-263
    Unnecessary to negative exception, etc.; burden of proof of exception, etc.
    § 18.2-264
    Inhaling drugs or other noxious chemical substances or causing, etc. others to do so prohibited; sale, distribution, etc. of nitrous oxide prohibited; penalties
    § 18.2-264.01
    Repealed
    § 18.2-264.1
    Repealed
    § 18.2-265
    Repealed
  • Article 1.1.
    Drug Paraphernalia
    Read all
    • § 18.2-265.1
    (Effective July 1, 2027) Definition
    § 18.2-265.1
    (Effective until July 1, 2027) Definition.
    § 18.2-265.2
    (Effective July 1, 2027) Evidence to be considered in cases under this article
    § 18.2-265.2
    (Effective until July 1, 2027) Evidence to be considered in cases under this article.
    § 18.2-265.3
    (Effective July 1, 2027) Penalties for sale, etc., of drug paraphernalia
    § 18.2-265.3
    (Effective until July 1, 2027) Penalties for sale, etc., of drug paraphernalia.
    § 18.2-265.4
    Repealed
    § 18.2-265.5
    Advertisement of drug paraphernalia prohibited; penalty
  • Article 1.2.
    Sale of Ephedrine or Related Compounds
    Read all
    • § 18.2-265.6
    Definitions
    § 18.2-265.7
    Sale of the methamphetamine precursors ephedrine or related compounds; penalty
    § 18.2-265.8
    Real-time electronic recording of sales of ephedrine or related compounds; memorandum of understanding
    § 18.2-265.9
    Stop sales alerts; interruption of electronic system
    § 18.2-265.10
    Exemption from participation in electronic system; requirement to maintain log
    § 18.2-265.11
    Exemption from participation in electronic system and maintenance of a written log
    § 18.2-265.12
    Authority to access data, records, and reports
    § 18.2-265.13
    Confidentiality of data in possession of Department
    § 18.2-265.14
    Prohibition on disclosure of information by entity operating the system
    § 18.2-265.15
    Prohibition on disclosure of information by pharmacy or retail distributor; civil immunity
    § 18.2-265.16
    Compliance with statutory provisions; civil immunity
    § 18.2-265.17
    Exemption of information systems from provisions related to the Virginia Information Technologies Agency
    § 18.2-265.18
    Failure to report certain sales; penalty
  • Article 1.3.
    Dextromethorphan Distribution Act
    Read all
    • § 18.2-265.19
    Definitions
    § 18.2-265.20
    Sale or distribution of dextromethorphan to minors; purchase by minors; civil penalty
    § 18.2-265.21
    Possession or distribution of unfinished dextromethorphan; penalty
  • Article 2.1.
    Commission on the Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program (Vasap)
    Read all
    • § 18.2-273.1
    Definitions
    § 18.2-273.2
    Commission on VASAP; purpose; membership; terms; meetings; staffing; compensation and expenses; chair's executive summary
    § 18.2-273.3
    Additional powers and duties of the Commission
    § 18.2-273.4
    Local alcohol safety action programs
    § 18.2-273.5
    Powers and duties of the local independent policy board
    § 18.2-273.6
    (Effective January 1, 2028) Fiscal agent locality
    § 18.2-273.7
    Procedure when suspension, revocation, etc., of certification of local ASAP
    § 18.2-273.8
    Requirements of employees of local ASAPs
    § 18.2-273.9
    Ignition interlock system and remote alcohol monitoring device; certification by Commission on VASAP; regulations; sale or lease; monitoring use; reports; penalty
  • Article 4.
    Dangerous Use of Firearms or Other Weapons
    Read all
    • § 18.2-279
    Discharging firearms or missiles within or at building or dwelling house; penalty
    § 18.2-280
    Willfully discharging firearms in public places
    § 18.2-281
    Setting spring gun or other deadly weapon
    § 18.2-282
    Pointing, holding, or brandishing firearm, air or gas operated weapon or object similar in appearance; penalty
    § 18.2-282.1
    Brandishing a machete or other bladed weapon with intent to intimidate; penalty
    § 18.2-283
    Carrying dangerous weapon to place of religious worship
    § 18.2-283.1
    Carrying weapon into courthouse
    § 18.2-283.2
    Carrying a firearm or explosive material within Capitol Square and the surrounding area, into a building owned or leased by the Commonwealth, etc.; penalty
    § 18.2-283.3
    Possession of a weapon in a hospital that provides mental health services or developmental services prohibited; penalty
    § 18.2-284
    Selling or giving toy firearms
    § 18.2-285
    Hunting with firearms while under influence of intoxicant or narcotic drug; penalty
    § 18.2-286
    Shooting in or across road or in street
    § 18.2-286.1
    Shooting from vehicles so as to endanger persons; penalty
    § 18.2-287
    Repealed
    § 18.2-287.01
    Carrying weapon in air carrier airport terminal
    § 18.2-287.1
    Repealed
    § 18.2-287.2
    (Effective July 1, 2027) Wearing of body armor while committing a crime; penalty
    § 18.2-287.2
    (Effective until July 1, 2027) Wearing of body armor while committing a crime; penalty.
    § 18.2-287.3
    Repealed
    § 18.2-287.4
    (Effective July 1, 2027) Carrying loaded firearms in public areas prohibited; penalty
    § 18.2-287.4
    (Effective until July 1, 2027) Carrying loaded firearms in public areas prohibited; penalty.
    § 18.2-287.4:1
    Importation, sale, manufacture, etc., of assault firearms prohibited; penalty
    § 18.2-287.5
    Reporting lost or stolen firearms; civil penalty
  • Article 7.
    Other Illegal Weapons
    Read all
    • § 18.2-308.1
    Possession of firearm, stun weapon, or other weapon on school property prohibited; penalty
    § 18.2-308.1:1
    Purchase, possession, or transportation of firearms by persons acquitted by reason of insanity; penalty
    § 18.2-308.1:2
    Purchase, possession, or transportation of firearm by persons adjudicated legally incompetent or mentally incapacitated; penalty
    § 18.2-308.1:3
    Purchase, possession, or transportation of firearm by persons involuntarily admitted or ordered to outpatient treatment; penalty
    § 18.2-308.1:4
    Purchase or transportation of firearm by persons subject to protective orders; penalties
    § 18.2-308.1:5
    Purchase or transportation of firearm by persons convicted of certain drug offenses prohibited
    § 18.2-308.1:6
    Purchase, possession, or transportation of firearms by persons subject to substantial risk orders; penalty
    § 18.2-308.1:7
    Purchase, possession, or transportation of firearm by persons enrolled into the Voluntary Do Not Sell Firearms List; penalty
    § 18.2-308.1:8
    Purchase, possession, or transportation of firearm following an assault and battery of a family or household member intimate partner; penalties
    § 18.2-308.1:9
    Purchase, possession, or transportation of firearm following conviction for importation, sale, possession, etc., of assault firearm; penalty
    § 18.2-308.2
    Possession or transportation of firearms, firearms ammunition, stun weapons, explosives or concealed weapons by convicted felons; penalties; petition for restoration order; when issued
    § 18.2-308.2:1
    Prohibiting the selling, etc., of firearms to certain persons; penalties
    § 18.2-308.2:01
    Possession or transportation of certain firearms by certain persons
    § 18.2-308.2:2
    Criminal history record information check required for the transfer of certain firearms
    § 18.2-308.2:3
    Criminal background check required for employees of a gun dealer to transfer firearms; exemptions; penalties
    § 18.2-308.2:4
    Firearm verification check; penalty
    § 18.2-308.2:5
    Criminal history record information check required to sell firearm; penalties
    § 18.2-308.3
    Use or attempted use of restricted ammunition in commission or attempted commission of crimes prohibited; penalty
    § 18.2-308.4
    (Effective July 1, 2027) Possession of firearms while in possession of certain substances
    § 18.2-308.4
    (Effective until July 1, 2027) Possession of firearms while in possession of certain substances.
    § 18.2-308.5
    Manufacture, assembly, importation, etc., of plastic or other nondetectable firearm prohibited; penalty
    § 18.2-308.5:1
    Manufacture, importation, sale, possession, transfer, or transportation of auto sears and trigger activators prohibited; penalty
    § 18.2-308.5:2
    (Effective January 1, 2027) Prohibition on unfinished frames or receivers and unserialized firearms; penalties
    § 18.2-308.6
    Repealed
    § 18.2-308.7
    Possession, transportation, or purchase of certain firearms by certain persons; penalty
    § 18.2-308.7:1
    Storage of firearms; penalty
    § 18.2-308.7:2
    Firearm in unattended motor vehicle; penalty
    § 18.2-308.8
    Importation, sale, possession or transfer of Striker 12's prohibited; penalty
    § 18.2-309
    Furnishing certain weapons to minors; penalty
    § 18.2-309.1
    Sale, transfer, etc., of certain firearms magazines prohibited; penalty
    § 18.2-310
    Repealed
    § 18.2-311
    Prohibiting the selling or having in possession blackjacks, etc.
    § 18.2-311.1
    Removing, altering, etc., serial number or other identification on firearm; selling, giving, etc., or possessing firearm without serial number; penalties
    § 18.2-311.2
    Third conviction of firearm offenses; penalty
  • Article 8.
    Miscellaneous Dangerous Conduct
    Read all
    • § 18.2-312
    Illegal use of tear gas, phosgene and other gases
    § 18.2-313
    Handling or using snakes so as to endanger human life or health
    § 18.2-313.1
    Withholding information about possibly rabid animal; penalty
    § 18.2-313.2
    Introduction of snakehead fish or zebra mussel; penalty
    § 18.2-314
    Failing to secure medical attention for injured child
    § 18.2-315
    Repealed
    § 18.2-316
    Duty of persons causing well or pit to be dug to fill it before abandonment
    § 18.2-317
    Covers to be kept on certain wells
    § 18.2-318
    Authority of counties, cities and towns to require and regulate well covers
    § 18.2-319
    Discarding or abandoning iceboxes, etc.; precautions required
    § 18.2-320
    Sale, etc., of plastic bags; warning required
    § 18.2-321
    Using X ray, fluoroscope, etc., in the fitting of footwear
    § 18.2-322
    Expectorating in public places
    § 18.2-322.1
    Repealed
    § 18.2-323
    Leaving disabled or dead animal in road, or allowing dead animal to remain unburied
    § 18.2-323.01
    Prohibition against disposal of dead body; penalty
    § 18.2-323.02
    Prohibition against concealment of dead body; penalty
    § 18.2-323.1
    Drinking while operating a motor vehicle; possession of open container while operating a motor vehicle and presumption; penalty
    § 18.2-324
    Throwing or depositing certain substances upon highway; removal of such substances
    § 18.2-324.1
    Repealed
    § 18.2-324.2
    Use of unmanned aircraft system for certain purposes; penalty