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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>78765</law_id><section_number>18.2-265.20</section_number><catch_line>Sale or distribution of dextromethorphan to minors; purchase by minors; civil penalty</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="18.2">Crimes and Offenses Generally</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="7">Crimes Involving Health and Safety</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="1.3">Dextromethorphan Distribution Act</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> It is unlawful for any <span class="dictionary">pharmacy</span> or <span class="dictionary">retail distributor</span> knowingly or intentionally to sell or distribute any product containing <span class="dictionary">dextromethorphan</span> to a <span class="dictionary">minor</span>. <a id="paragraph-282218" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-265.20/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> A <span class="dictionary">pharmacy</span> or <span class="dictionary">retail distributor</span>, or its employee or agent, shall not sell or distribute a product containing <span class="dictionary">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&#x2019;s outward <span class="dictionary">appearance</span> the <span class="dictionary">pharmacy</span> or <span class="dictionary">retail distributor</span> would reasonably presume the purchaser to be 25 years of age or older. <a id="paragraph-282219" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-265.20/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> It is unlawful for any <span class="dictionary">minor</span> knowingly or intentionally to purchase any product containing <span class="dictionary">dextromethorphan</span>. <a id="paragraph-282220" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-265.20/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> Any <span class="dictionary">pharmacy</span> or <span class="dictionary">retail distributor</span>, or its employee or agent, that violates subsection A or any <span class="dictionary">minor</span> who violates subsection C is subject to a civil <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> of $25. Any <span class="dictionary">pharmacy</span> or <span class="dictionary">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 <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> of $25. Such <span class="dictionary">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. <a id="paragraph-282221" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-265.20/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> The provisions of this section shall not apply if the product was obtained directly from, or pursuant to, a valid prescription or <span class="dictionary">order</span> of a practitioner while acting in the course of his professional practice, or except as otherwise authorized by the Drug Control Act (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Citation" href="/54.1-3400/">54.1-3400</a> et seq.). <a id="paragraph-282222" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-265.20/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2014, cc. 101, 362.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
