{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/18.2-265.20.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/18.2-265.20.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/18.2-265.20.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/18.2-265.20.html"}],"law_id":78765,"edition_id":1,"section_id":78765,"structure_id":15493,"section_number":"18.2-265.20","catch_line":"Sale or distribution of dextromethorphan to minors; purchase by minors; civil penalty","history":"2014, cc. 101, 362.","full_text":"A\n\nIt is unlawful for any pharmacy or retail distributor knowingly or intentionally to sell or distribute any product containing dextromethorphan to a minor.B\n\nA pharmacy or retail distributor, or its employee or agent, shall not sell or distribute a product containing dextromethorphan unless the purchaser presents a federal, state, or local government-issued document that contains a photograph and the birth date of the purchaser that shows that the purchaser is at least 18 years of age or unless from the purchaser’s outward appearance the pharmacy or retail distributor would reasonably presume the purchaser to be 25 years of age or older.C\n\nIt is unlawful for any minor knowingly or intentionally to purchase any product containing dextromethorphan.D\n\nAny pharmacy or retail distributor, or its employee or agent, that violates subsection A or any minor who violates subsection C is subject to a civil penalty of $25. Any pharmacy or retail distributor, or its employee or agent, that violates subsection B shall receive a notice of noncompliance and, upon any subsequent violation of subsection B, shall be subject to a civil penalty of $25. Such penalty shall be collected by the attorney for the Commonwealth for the locality where the violation occurred, and the proceeds shall be deposited into the Literary Fund.E\n\nThe provisions of this section shall not apply if the product was obtained directly from, or pursuant to, a valid prescription or order of a practitioner while acting in the course of his professional practice, or except as otherwise authorized by the Drug Control Act (§ 54.1-3400 et seq.).","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":282218,"text":"It is unlawful for any pharmacy or retail distributor knowingly or intentionally to sell or distribute any product containing dextromethorphan to a minor.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":282219,"text":"A pharmacy or retail distributor, or its employee or agent, shall not sell or distribute a product containing dextromethorphan unless the purchaser presents a federal, state, or local government-issued document that contains a photograph and the birth date of the purchaser that shows that the purchaser is at least 18 years of age or unless from the purchaser’s outward appearance the pharmacy or retail distributor would reasonably presume the purchaser to be 25 years of age or older.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":282220,"text":"It is unlawful for any minor knowingly or intentionally to purchase any product containing dextromethorphan.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"D"},"3":{"id":282221,"text":"Any pharmacy or retail distributor, or its employee or agent, that violates subsection A or any minor who violates subsection C is subject to a civil penalty of $25. Any pharmacy or retail distributor, or its employee or agent, that violates subsection B shall receive a notice of noncompliance and, upon any subsequent violation of subsection B, shall be subject to a civil penalty of $25. Such penalty shall be collected by the attorney for the Commonwealth for the locality where the violation occurred, and the proceeds shall be deposited into the Literary Fund.","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C","next_prefix":"E"},"4":{"id":282222,"text":"The provisions of this section shall not apply if the product was obtained directly from, or pursuant to, a valid prescription or order of a practitioner while acting in the course of his professional practice, or except as otherwise authorized by the Drug Control Act (§ 54.1-3400 et seq.).","type":"section","prefixes":["E"],"prefix":"E","entire_prefix":"E","prefix_anchor":"E","level":1,"prior_prefix":"D"}},"ancestry":[{"id":15493,"edition_id":1,"name":"Dextromethorphan Distribution Act","identifier":"1.3","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12973,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:55:32","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:55:32","permalink":{"id":166809,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15493,"identifier":"1.3","token":"18.2\/7\/1.3","url":"\/18.2\/7\/1.3\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12973,"edition_id":1,"name":"Crimes Involving Health and Safety","identifier":"7","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12972,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:05","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:05","permalink":{"id":166501,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12973,"identifier":"7","token":"18.2\/7","url":"\/18.2\/7\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12972,"edition_id":1,"name":"Crimes and Offenses Generally","identifier":"18.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:05","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:05","permalink":{"id":164139,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12972,"identifier":"18.2","token":"18.2","url":"\/18.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":59050,"structure_id":15493,"section_number":"18.2-265.19","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/18.2-265.19\/","token":"18.2\/7\/1.3\/18.2-265.19","metadata":false},{"id":78765,"structure_id":15493,"section_number":"18.2-265.20","catch_line":"Sale or distribution of dextromethorphan to minors; purchase by minors; civil penalty","url":"\/18.2-265.20\/","token":"18.2\/7\/1.3\/18.2-265.20","metadata":false},{"id":62096,"structure_id":15493,"section_number":"18.2-265.21","catch_line":"Possession or distribution of unfinished dextromethorphan; penalty","url":"\/18.2-265.21\/","token":"18.2\/7\/1.3\/18.2-265.21","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":59050,"structure_id":15493,"section_number":"18.2-265.19","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/18.2-265.19\/","token":"18.2\/7\/1.3\/18.2-265.19","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":62096,"structure_id":15493,"section_number":"18.2-265.21","catch_line":"Possession or distribution of unfinished dextromethorphan; penalty","url":"\/18.2-265.21\/","token":"18.2\/7\/1.3\/18.2-265.21","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/18.2-265.20\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2014. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapters 101<\/a> and 362<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":77846,"section_number":"54.1-3400","catch_line":"Citation","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-3400\/"}],"permalink":{"id":166815,"object_type":"law","relational_id":78765,"identifier":"18.2-265.20","token":"18.2\/7\/1.3\/18.2-265.20","url":"\/18.2-265.20\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/18.2-265.20\/","token":"18.2\/7\/1.3\/18.2-265.20","dublin_core":{"Title":"Sale or distribution of dextromethorphan to minors; purchase by minors; civil penalty","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 18.2-265.20","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> It is unlawful for any pharmacy<\/span> or retail distributor<\/span> knowingly or intentionally to sell or distribute any product containing dextromethorphan<\/span> to a minor<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> A pharmacy<\/span> or retail distributor<\/span>, or its employee or agent, shall not sell or distribute a product containing dextromethorphan<\/span> unless the purchaser presents a federal, state, or local government-issued document that contains a photograph and the birth date of the purchaser that shows that the purchaser is at least 18 years of age or unless from the purchaser’s outward appearance<\/span> the pharmacy<\/span> or retail distributor<\/span> would reasonably presume the purchaser to be 25 years of age or older. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> It is unlawful for any minor<\/span> knowingly or intentionally to purchase any product containing dextromethorphan<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> Any pharmacy<\/span> or retail distributor<\/span>, or its employee or agent, that violates subsection A or any minor<\/span> who violates subsection C is subject to a civil penalty<\/span> of $25. Any pharmacy<\/span> or retail distributor<\/span>, or its employee or agent, that violates subsection B shall receive a notice of noncompliance and, upon any subsequent violation of subsection B, shall be subject to a civil penalty<\/span> of $25. Such penalty<\/span> shall be collected by the attorney for the Commonwealth for the locality where the violation occurred, and the proceeds shall be deposited into the Literary Fund. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

E.<\/span> The provisions of this section shall not apply if the product was obtained directly from, or pursuant to, a valid prescription or order<\/span> of a practitioner while acting in the course of his professional practice, or except as otherwise authorized by the Drug Control Act (§ 54.1-3400<\/a> et seq.). <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nSALE OR DISTRIBUTION OF DEXTROMETHORPHAN TO MINORS; PURCHASE BY MINORS; CIVIL\nPENALTY (\u00a7 18.2-265.20)\n\nA. It is unlawful for any pharmacy or retail distributor knowingly or\nintentionally to sell or distribute any product containing dextromethorphan to a\nminor.\n\nB. A pharmacy or retail distributor, or its employee or agent, shall not sell or\ndistribute a product containing dextromethorphan unless the purchaser presents a\nfederal, state, or local government-issued document that contains a photograph\nand the birth date of the purchaser that shows that the purchaser is at least 18\nyears of age or unless from the purchaser’s outward appearance the\npharmacy or retail distributor would reasonably presume the purchaser to be 25\nyears of age or older.\n\nC. It is unlawful for any minor knowingly or intentionally to purchase any\nproduct containing dextromethorphan.\n\nD. Any pharmacy or retail distributor, or its employee or agent, that violates\nsubsection A or any minor who violates subsection C is subject to a civil\npenalty of $25. Any pharmacy or retail distributor, or its employee or agent,\nthat violates subsection B shall receive a notice of noncompliance and, upon any\nsubsequent violation of subsection B, shall be subject to a civil penalty of\n$25. Such penalty shall be collected by the attorney for the Commonwealth for\nthe locality where the violation occurred, and the proceeds shall be deposited\ninto the Literary Fund.\n\nE. The provisions of this section shall not apply if the product was obtained\ndirectly from, or pursuant to, a valid prescription or order of a practitioner\nwhile acting in the course of his professional practice, or except as otherwise\nauthorized by the Drug Control Act (§ 54.1-3400 et seq.).\n\nHISTORY: 2014, cc. 101, 362.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}