Connecticut General Statutes 21a-279 – Penalty for illegal possession of a controlled substance other than cannabis. Alternative sentences. Immunity
(a)(1) Any person who possesses or has under such person’s control any quantity of any controlled substance, except any quantity of cannabis, as defined in section 21a-420, and except as authorized in this chapter or chapter 420f, shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor.
Attorney's Note
Under the Connecticut General Statutes, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:| Class | Prison | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| Class A misdemeanor | up to 1 year | up to $2,000 |
Terms Used In Connecticut General Statutes 21a-279
- another: may extend and be applied to communities, companies, corporations, public or private, limited liability companies, societies and associations. See Connecticut General Statutes 1-1
- Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
- Controlled substance: means a drug, substance, or immediate precursor in schedules I to V, inclusive, of the Connecticut controlled substance scheduling regulations adopted pursuant to section 21a-243. See Connecticut General Statutes 21a-240
- Drug: means (A) substances recognized as drugs in the official United States Pharmacopoeia, official Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States, or official National Formulary, or any supplement to any of them. See Connecticut General Statutes 21a-240
- Drug-dependent person: means a person who has a psychoactive substance dependence on drugs as that condition is defined in the most recent edition of the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" of the American Psychiatric Association. See Connecticut General Statutes 21a-240
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Person: includes any corporation, limited liability company, association or partnership, or one or more individuals, government or governmental subdivisions or agency, business trust, estate, trust, or any other legal entity. See Connecticut General Statutes 21a-240
- Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
- Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
(2) For a second offense of subdivision (1) of this subsection, the court shall evaluate such person and, if the court determines such person is a drug-dependent person, the court may suspend prosecution of such person and order such person to undergo a substance abuse treatment program.
(3) For any subsequent offense of subdivision (1) of this subsection, the court may find such person to be a persistent offender for possession of a controlled substance in accordance with section 53a-40.
(b) Any person who violates subsection (a) of this section with intent to commit such violation at a specific location that the trier of fact determines is in or on, or within two hundred feet of the perimeter of the real property comprising a (1) public or private elementary or secondary school and who is not enrolled as a student in such school, or (2) licensed child care center, as defined in section 19a-77, that is identified as a child care center by a sign posted in a conspicuous place, shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor and shall be sentenced to a term of imprisonment and a period of probation during which such person shall perform community service as a condition of such probation, in a manner ordered by the court.
(c) To the extent that it is possible, medical treatment rather than criminal sanctions shall be afforded individuals who breathe, inhale, sniff or drink the volatile substances described in subdivision (49) of section 21a-240.
(d) The provisions of subsection (a) of this section shall not apply to any person (1) who in good faith, seeks medical assistance for another person who such person reasonably believes is experiencing an overdose from the ingestion, inhalation or injection of intoxicating liquor or any drug or substance, (2) for whom another person, in good faith, seeks medical assistance, reasonably believing such person is experiencing an overdose from the ingestion, inhalation or injection of intoxicating liquor or any drug or substance, or (3) who reasonably believes he or she is experiencing an overdose from the ingestion, inhalation or injection of intoxicating liquor or any drug or substance and, in good faith, seeks medical assistance for himself or herself, if evidence of the possession or control of a controlled substance in violation of subsection (a) of this section was obtained as a result of the seeking of such medical assistance. For the purposes of this subsection, “good faith” does not include seeking medical assistance during the course of the execution of an arrest warrant or search warrant or a lawful search.
(e) No provision of this section shall be construed to alter or modify the meaning of the provisions of section 21a-278.