Is Opium legal in United States?

Legal status

Controlled. Schedule II under the Controlled Substances Act, at 21 CFR 1308.12(b)(1). Listed by name. This cell states federal law only. Every state has its own controlled substances act and several differ from the federal schedules, so check the law of the state you are in.

Consequences if caught

It is listed by name at 21 CFR 1308.12(b)(1). Supply is 21 USC 841. Unless the substance appears in the weight tables of section 841(b)(1)(A) or (B), it falls to section 841(b)(1)(C) at up to 20 years, rising to not less than twenty years and up to life if death or serious bodily injury results. Simple possession is 21 USC 844(a), up to 1 year and a fine of at least 1,000 dollars on a first offence, with higher figures after a prior conviction. The section excepts a substance 'obtained directly, or pursuant to a valid prescription or order, from a practitioner, while acting in the course of his professional practice'.

If prescribed or medical

Prescription supply through the licensed channel is lawful. 21 USC 844(a) excepts a substance obtained on a valid prescription from a practitioner acting in the course of professional practice, and handling outside that channel is an offence under 21 USC 841 and the registration provisions at 21 USC 822 and 823.

Documentation

Carry any prescribed medicine in its original labelled container with the prescription. Federal law and the law of the state you are entering can differ, so confirm both before travel.

Drug laws and enforcement change and vary within a country. This is not legal advice. Always confirm with United States’s embassy or official drug authority before traveling; penalties can be severe, including imprisonment.