Section 2925.22. Deception to obtain a dangerous drug

(A) No person, by deception, shall procure the administration of, a prescription for, or the dispensing of, a dangerous drug or shall possess an uncompleted preprinted prescription blank used for writing a prescription for a dangerous drug.

(B) Whoever violates this section is guilty of deception to obtain a dangerous drug. The penalty for the offense shall be determined as follows:

(1) If the person possesses an uncompleted preprinted prescription blank used for writing a prescription for a dangerous drug or if the drug involved is a dangerous drug, except as otherwise provided in division (B)(2) or (3) of this section, deception to obtain a dangerous drug is a felony of the fifth degree or, if the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to a drug abuse offense, a felony of the fourth degree. Division (C) of section 2929.13 of the Revised Code applies in determining whether to impose a prison term on the offender pursuant to this division.

(2) If the drug involved is a compound, mixture, preparation, or substance included in schedule I or II, with the exception of marihuana, the penalty for deception to obtain drugs is one of the following:

(a) Except as otherwise provided in division (B)(2)(b), (c), or (d) of this section, it is a felony of the fourth degree, and division (C) of section 2929.13 of the Revised Code applies in determining whether to impose a prison term on the offender.

(b) If the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds the bulk amount but is less than five times the bulk amount, or if the amount of the drug involved that could be obtained pursuant to the prescription would equal or exceed the bulk amount but would be less than five times the bulk amount, it is a felony of the third degree, and there is a presumption for a prison term for the offense.

(c) If the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds five times the bulk amount but is less than fifty times the bulk amount, or if the amount of the drug involved that could be obtained pursuant to the prescription would equal or exceed five times the bulk amount but would be less than fifty times the bulk amount, it is a felony of the second degree, and there is a presumption for a prison term for the offense.

(d) If the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds fifty times the bulk amount, or if the amount of the drug involved that could be obtained pursuant to the prescription would equal or exceed fifty times the bulk amount, it is a felony of the first degree, and there is a presumption for a prison term for the offense.

(3) If the drug involved is a compound, mixture, preparation, or substance included in schedule III, IV, or V or is marihuana, the penalty for deception to obtain a dangerous drug is one of the following:

(a) Except as otherwise provided in division (B)(3)(b), (c), or (d) of this section it is a felony of the fifth degree, and division (C) of section 2929.13 of the Revised Code applies in determining whether to impose a prison term on the offender.

(b) If the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds the bulk amount but is less than five times the bulk amount, or if the amount of the drug involved that could be obtained pursuant to the prescription would equal or exceed the bulk amount but would be less than five times the bulk amount, it is a felony of the fourth degree, and division (C) of section 2929.13 of the Revised Code applies in determining whether to impose a prison term on the offender.

(c) If the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds five times the bulk amount but is less than fifty times the bulk amount, or if the amount of the drug involved that could be obtained pursuant to the prescription would equal or exceed five times the bulk amount but would be less than fifty times the bulk amount, it is a felony of the third degree, and there is a presumption for a prison term for the offense.

(d) If the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds fifty times the bulk amount, or if the amount of the drug involved that could be obtained pursuant to the prescription would equal or exceed fifty times the bulk amount, it is a felony of the second degree, and there is a presumption for a prison term for the offense.

(C) In addition to any prison term authorized or required by division (B) of this section and sections 2929.13 and 2929.14 of the Revised Code and in addition to any other sanction imposed for the offense under this section or sections 2929.11 to 2929.18 of the Revised Code, the court that sentences an offender who is convicted of or pleads guilty to a violation of division (A) of this section shall do both of the following:

(1) The court shall suspend for not less than six months or more than five years the offender's driver's or commercial driver's license or permit.

(2) If the offender is a professionally licensed person, in addition to any other sanction imposed for a violation of this section, the court immediately shall comply with section 2925.38 of the Revised Code.

(D) Notwithstanding any contrary provision of section 3719.21 of the Revised Code, the clerk of the court shall pay a fine imposed for a violation of this section pursuant to division (A) of section 2929.18 of the Revised Code in accordance with and subject to the requirements of division (F) of section 2925.03 of the Revised Code. The agency that receives the fine shall use the fine as specified in division (F) of section 2925.03 of the Revised Code.

Effective Date: 01-01-2004; 2008 HB195 09-30-2008