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NARCOTIC DRUGS AND PSYCHOTROPIC SUBSTANCES ACT, 1985
61 of 1985
16th September, 1985
An Act to consolidate and amend the law relating to narcotic drugs, to make stringent provisions for the control and regulation of operation relating to narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances to provide for the forfeiture of property derived from, or used in, illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, to implement the provisions of the International Conventions on Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances and for matters connected therewith. Be it enacted by Parliament in the Thirty-sixth Year of the Republic of India as follows:
SECTION 01: SHORT TITLE, EXTENT AND COMMENCEMENT
(1) This Act may be called the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985-.
(2) It extends to the whole of India1[and it applies also
(a) to all citizens of India outside India:
(b) to all persons on ships and aircrafts registered in India, wherever they may be.
(3) It shall come into force on such date as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint, and different dates may be appointed for different provisions of this Act and for different States and any reference in any such provision to the commencement of this Act shall be construed in relation to any State as a reference to the coming into force of that provision in that State.
SECTION 02: DEFINITIONS
In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,
2[(i) "addict" means a person who has dependence on any narcotic drug or psychotropic substance;
(ii) "Board" means the Central Board of Excise and Customs constituted under the Central Boards of Revenue Act, 1963(54 of 1963);
(iii) "cannabis (hemp)" means
(a) charas, that is, separated resin, in whatever form, whether crude or purified; obtained from the cannabis plant and also includes concentrated preparation and resin known as hashish oil or liquid hashish;
(b) ganja, that is, the flowering or fruiting tops of the cannabis plant (excluding the seeds and leaves when not accompanied by the tops), by whatever name they may be known or designated; and
(c) any mixture, with or without any natural material, of any of the above forms of cannabis or any drink prepared therefrom;
(iv) "cannabis plant" means any plant of the genus cannabis;
(v) "coca derivative" means
(a) crude cocaine, that is, any extract of coca leaf which can be used, directly or indirectly, for the manufacture of cocaine;
(b) ecgonine and all the derivatives of ecgonine from which it can be recorded;
(c) cocaine, that is, methyl ester of benzoyl ecgonine and its salts; and
(d) all preparations containing more than 0.1 per cent. of cocaine;
(vi) "coca leaf means
(a) the leaf of the coca plant except a leaf from which all ecgonine, cocaine and any other ecgonine alkaloids have been removed;
(b) any mixture thereof with or without any natural material but does not Include any preparation containing not more than 0.1 per cent. of cocaine;
(vii) "coca plant" means the plant of any species of the genus Erythroxylon;
3(viia) "commercial quantity", in relation to narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, means any quantity greater than the quantity specified by the Central Government by notification in the Official Gazette;
(viib) "controlled delivery" means the technique of allowing illicit or suspect consignments of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, controlled substances or substances substituted for them to pass out of, or through or into the territory of India with the knowledge and under the supervision of an officer empowered in this behalf or duly authorised under Section 50A-with a view to Identifying the persons involved in the commission of an offence under this Act;
(viic) "corresponding law" means any law corresponding to the provisions of this Act;
4(viid) ["controlled substance" means any substance which the Central Government may, having regard to the available information as to its possible use in the production or manufacture of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances or to the provisions of any International Convention, by notification in the Official Gazette, declare to be a controlled substance;
(viii) "conveyance" means a conveyance of any description whatsoever and includes any aircraft, vehicle or vessel;
5(viiia) "illicit traffic", in relation to narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, means
(i) cultivating any coca plant or gathering any portion of coca plant;
(ii) cultivating the opium poppy or any cannabis plant;
(iii) engaging in the production, manufacture, possession, sale, purchase,
transportation, warehousing, concealment, use or consumption, import inter-
State, export inter-State, Import into India, export from India or transshipment of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances;
(iv) dealing in any activities in narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances other than those referred to in sub-clauses (i) to (iii); or
(v) handling or letting out any premises for the carrying on of any of the
activities referred to in sub-clauses (i) to (iv): other than those permitted under
this Act, or any rule or order made, or any condition of any licence, term or authorisation Issued, thereunder, and Includes-
(1) financing, directly or indirectly, any of the aforementioned activities;
(2) abetting or conspiring in the furtherance of or in support of doing any of the aforementioned activities; and
(3) harbouring persons engaged in any of the aforementioned activities;
(ix) "International Convention" means-
(a) the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961, adopted by the United Nations Conference at New York in March, 1961;
(b) the Protocol, amending the Convention mentioned in sub-clause (a) adopted by the United Nations Conference at Geneva in March, 1972:
(c) the Convention on Psychotropic Substances, 1971 adopted by the United Nations Conference at Vienna in February, 1971 and
(d) any other international convention, or protocol or other instrument amending an international convention, relating to narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances which may be ratified or acceded to by India after the commencement of this Act.
(x) "manufacture", in relation to narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances, includes-
(1) all processes other than production by which such drugs or substances may be obtained;
(2) refining of such drugs or substances;
(3) transformation of such drugs or substances; and
(4) making of preparation (otherwise than in a pharmacy on prescription) with or containing such drugs or substances;
(xi) "manufactured drug" means-
(a) all coca derivatives, medicinal cannabis, opium derivatives and poppy straw concentrate;
(b) any other narcotic substance or preparation which the Central Government may, having regard to the available information as to its nature or to a decision, if any, under any International Convention, by notification in the Official Gazette, declare to be a manufactured drug; but does not include any narcotic substance or preparation which the Central Government may, having regard to the available information as to its nature, or to a decision, if any, under any International Convention, by notification in the Official Gazette, declare not to be manufactured drug;
(xii) "medicinal cannabis". that is medicinal hemp, means any extract or tincture of cannabis (hemp);
(xiii) "Narcotics Commissioner" means the Narcotics Commissioner appointed under Section 5-;
(xiv) "Narcotic drug" means coca leaf, cannabis (hemp), opium, poppy straw and includes all manufactured drugs;
(xv) "opium" means-
(a) the coagulated juice of the opium poppy; and
(b) any mixture, with or without any neutral material of the coagulated juice of the opium poppy, but does not include any preparation containing not more than 0.2 per cent. of morphine;
(xvi) "opium derivative" means-
(a) medicinal opium, that is opium which has undergone the processes necessary to adapt it for medicinal use in accordance with requirements of the Indian Pharmacopoeia or any other pharmacopoeia notified in this behalf by the Central Government, whether in powder form or granulated or otherwise or mixed with neutral materials:
(b) prepared opium, that is, any product of opium obtained by any series of operations designed to transform opium into an extract suitable for smoking and the dross or other residue remaining after opium is smoked;
(c) phenanthrene alkaloids, namely, morphine, codeine, the baine and their salts:
(d) diacetylmorphine, that is, the alkaloid also known as diamorphine or heroin and its salts; and
(e) all preparations containing more than 0.2 per cent. of morphine or containing any diacetylmorphine;
(xvii) "opium poppy" means-
(a) the plant of the species papauer somniferum L; and
(b) the plant of any other species of papauer from which opium or any phenanthrene alkaloid can be extracted and which the Central Government may. by notification in the Official Gazette, declare to be opium poppy for the purposes of this Act;
(xviii) "poppy straw" means all parts (except the seeds) of the opium poppy after harvesting whether in their original form or cut, crushed or powdered and whether or not juice has been extracted therefrom;
(xix) "poppy straw concentrate" means the material arising when poppy straw has entered into a process for the concentration of its alkaloids;
(xx) "preparation", in relation to a narcotic drug or psychotropic substance, means any one or more such drugs or substances in dosage form or any solution or mixture, in whatever physical state, containing one or more such drugs or substances;
(xxi) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act;
(xxii) "production" means the separation of opium, poppy straw, coca leaves or cannabis from the plants from which they are obtained;
(xxiii) "psychotropic substance" means any substance, natural or synthetic, or any natural material or any salt or preparation of such substance or materials included in the list of psychotropic substances specified in the Schedule;
6(xxiii-a) "small quantity", in relation to narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, means any quantity lesser than the quantity specified by the Central Government by notification in the Official Gazette.
(xxiv) "to import inter-State" means to bring into State or Union Territory in India from another State or Union territory in India:
(xxv) "to import into India", with its grammatical variations and cognate expressions, means to bring into India from a place outside India and includes the bringing into any port or airport or place in India of a narcotic drug or a psychotropic substance intended to be taken out of India without being removed from the vessel, aircraft, vehicle or any other conveyance in which it is being carried. Explanation.-For the purposes of this clause and Clause (xxui), "India" includes the territorial waters of India;
(xxvi) "to export from India" with its grammatical variations and cognate expressions, means to take out of India to a place outside India;
(xxvii) "to export inter-State" means to take out of a State or Union Territory in India to another State or Union Territory in India;
(xxviii) "to transport" means to take from one place to another within the same State or Union territory;
7[(xxviii-a) "use" in relation to narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, means any kind of use except personal consumption;
(xxix) words and expressions used herein and not defined but defined in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974), have the meanings respectively assigned to them in that Code. Explanation.-For the purposes of CIs. (v), (vi), (xv) and (xvi), the percentages in the case of liquid preparations shall be calculated on the basis that a preparation containing one per cent. of a substance means a preparation in which one gram of substance, if solid, or one millilitre of substance, if liquid, is contained in every one hundred millilitre of the preparation and so on in proportion for any greater or less percentage : Provided that the Central Government may, having regard to the developments in the field of methods of calculating percentages In liquid preparations prescribed, by rules, any other basis which it may deem appropriate for such calculation.
SECTION 03: POWER TO ADD TO, OR OMIT FROM THE LIST OF PSYCHOTROPIC SUBSTANCES
- The Central Government may, if satisfied that it is necessary or expedient so to do on the basis of-
(a) the information and evidence which has become available to it with respect to the nature and effects of, and the abuse or the scope for abuse of, any substance (natural or synthetic) or natural material or any salt or preparation of such substance or material ; and
(b) the modifications or provisions (if any) which have been made to, or in, any International Convention with respect to such substance, natural material or salt or preparation of such substance or material, by notification in the Official Gazette, add to, or as the case may be, omit from, the list of psychotropic substances specified in the Schedule such substance or natural material or salt or preparation of such substance or material.
SECTION 04: CENTRAL GOVERNMENT TO TAKE MEASURES FOR PREVENTING AND COMBATING ABUSE OF, AND ILLICIT TRAFFIC IN NARCOTIC DRUGS, ETC
(1) Subject to the pro- visions of this Act, the Central Government shall take all such measures as it deems necessary or expedient for the purpose of preventing and combating abuse of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and the illicit traffic therein.
(2) In particular and without prejudice to the generality of the provisions of sub-section (1), the measures which the Central Government may take under that sub-section include measures with respect to all or any of the following matters, namely:
(a) coordination of actions by various officers. State Governments and other authorities-
(i) under this Act, or
(ii) under any other law for the time being in force in connection with the enforcement of the provisions of this Act;
(b) obligations under the International Conventions;
(c) assistance to the concerned authorities in foreign countries and concerned international organizations with a view to facilitating coordination and universal action for prevention and suppression of illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances ;
(d) identification, treatment, education, after-care, rehabilitation and social reintegration of addicts;
(e) such other matters as the Central Government deems necessary or expedient for the purpose of securing the effective implementation of the provisions of this Act and preventing and combating the abuse of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and illicit traffic therein.
(3) The Central Government may, if it considers it necessary or expedient so to do for the purposes of this Act, by order, published in the Official Gazette, constitute an authority or a hierarchy of authorities by such name or names as may be specified in the order for the purpose of exercising such of the powers and functions of the Central Government under this Act for taking measures with respect to such of the matters referred to in sub-section (2) as may be mentioned in the order, and subject to the supervision and control of the Central Government and the provisions of such order, such authority or authorities may exercise the powers and take the measures, so mentioned in the order as if such authority or authorities had been empowered by this Act to exercise those powers and take such measures.
SECTION 05: OFFICERS OF CENTRAL GOVERNMENT
(1) Without prejudice to the provisions of sub-section (3) of Section 4-, the Central Government shall appoint a Narcotics Commissioner, and may also appoint such other officers with such designations as it thinks fit for the purposes of this Act.
(2) The Narcotics Commissioner shall, either by himself or through officers subordinate to him, exercise all powers and perform all functions relating to the superintendence of the cultivation of the opium poppy and production of opium and shall also exercise and perform such other powers and functions as may be entrusted to him by the Central Government.
(3) The officers appointed under sub-section (1) shall be subject to the general control and direction of the Central Government, or, if so directed by that Government also of the Board or any other authority or officer.
SECTION 06: NARCOTIC DRUGS AND PSYCHOTROPIC SUBSTANCES CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE
(1) The Central Government may constitute, by notification in the Official Gazette, an advisory committee to be called "The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Consultative Committee" (hereafter in this section referred to as the Committee) to advise the Central Government on such matters relating to the administration of this Act as are referred to it by that Government from time to time.
(2) The Committee shall consist of a Chairman and such other members, not exceeding twenty, as may be appointed by the Central Government.
(3) The Committee shall meet when required to do so by the Central Government and shall have power to regulate its own procedure.
(4) The Committee may, if it deems it necessary so to do for the efficient discharge of any of its functions, constitute one or more sub -committees and may appoint to any such sub-committee, whether generally or for the consideration of any particular matter, any person (including a nonofficial) who is not a member of the Committee.
(5) The term of office of, the manner of filling casual vacancies in the offices of and the allowances, if any, payable to the Chairman and other members of the Committee, and the conditions and restrictions subject to which the Committee may appoint a person who is not a member of the Committee as a member of any of its sub-committee, shall be such as may be prescribed by rules made by the Central Government.
SECTION 07: OFFICERS OF STATE GOVERNMENT
(1) The State Government may appoint such officers with such designations as it thinks fit for the purposes of this Act.
(2) The officers appointed under sub-section (1) shall be subject to the general control and direction of the State Government, or, if so directed by the Government, also of any other authority or officer.
SECTION 07A: NATIONAL FUND FOR CONTROL OF DRUG ABUSE
(1) The Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, constitute a Fund to be called the National Fund for Control of Drug Abuse (hereafter in this Chapter referred to as the Fund) and there shall be credited thereto-
(a) an amount which the Central Government may, after due appropriation made by Parliament by law in this behalf, provide;
(b) the sale proceeds of any property forfeited under Chapter V-A;
(c) any grants that may be made by any person or institution;
(d) any income from investment of the amounts credited to the Fund under the aforesaid provisions,
9{2} The Fund shall be applied by the Central Government to meet the expenditur
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