21 USC § 959 - Possession, manufacture, or distribution of controlled substance

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t21/s959"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "21 USC § 959 - Possession, manufacture, or distribution of controlled substance"
title_number: 21
title_name: "FOOD AND DRUGS"
section_number: "959"
section_name: "Possession, manufacture, or distribution of controlled substance"
chapter_number: 13
chapter_name: "DRUG ABUSE PREVENTION AND CONTROL"
subchapter_number: "II"
subchapter_name: "IMPORT AND EXPORT"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(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.)"
---


# § 959. Possession, manufacture, or distribution of controlled substance

**(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.

---

**Source Credit**: (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.)

## Editorial Notes

### References in Text

Schedules I and II, referred to in subsec. (a), are set out in .

### Amendments

2017—Subsec. (d).  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). , 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).  added subsec. (b) and redesignated former subsecs. (b) and (c) as (c) and (d), respectively.

1996—Subsec. (a).  inserted “or flunitrazepam” after “schedule I or II” in introductory provisions.

, inserted “or listed chemical” after “schedule I or II” in introductory provisions and “or chemical” after “substance” in pars. (1) and (2).

Subsec. (b). , inserted “or listed chemical” after “controlled substance” in pars. (1) and (2).

1986— 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 Date

Section effective on first day of seventh calendar month that begins after , see 1105(a) of , set out as a under .