(a) No person shall knowingly obtain, possess or use a controlled substance or a controlled substance analog.
(b) (1) This section does not apply to the following:
A. Manufacturers, licensed health professionals authorized to prescribe drugs, pharmacists, owners of pharmacies and other persons whose conduct was in accordance with Ohio R.C. Chapters 3719, 4715, 4729, 4730, 4731 and 4741.
B. If the offense involves an anabolic steroid, any person who is conducting or participating in a research project involving the use of an anabolic steroid if the project has been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration;
C. Any person who sells, offers for sale, prescribes, dispenses or administers for livestock or other nonhuman species an anabolic steroid that is expressly intended for administration through implants to livestock or other nonhuman species and approved for that purpose under the "Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act", 52 Stat. 1040 (1938), 21 U.S.C.A. 301, as amended, and is sold, offered for sale, prescribed, dispensed or administered for that purpose in accordance with that Act;
D. Any person who obtained the controlled substance pursuant to a prescription issued by a licensed health professional authorized to prescribe drugs if the prescription was issued for a legitimate medical purpose and not altered, forged or obtained through deception or commission of a theft offense.
As used in subsection (b)(1)D. of this section, “deception” and “theft offense” have the same meanings as in Ohio R.C. 2913.01.
(2) A. As used in subsection (b)(2) of this section:
1. “Community addiction services provider” has the same meaning as in Ohio R.C. 5119.01.
2. “Community control sanction” and “drug treatment program” have the same meanings as in Ohio R.C. 2929.01.
3. “Health care facility” has the same meaning as in Ohio R.C. 2919.16.
4. “Minor drug possession offense” means a violation of this section that is a misdemeanor or a felony of the fifth degree.
5. “Post-release control sanction” has the same meaning as in Ohio R.C. 2967.28.
6. “Peace officer” has the same meaning as in Ohio R.C. 2935.01.
7. “Public agency” has the same meaning as in Ohio R.C. 2930.01.
8. “Qualified individual” means a person who is not on community control or post-release control and is a person acting in good faith who seeks or obtains medical assistance for another person who is experiencing a drug overdose, a person who experiences a drug overdose and who seeks medical assistance for that overdose, or a person who is the subject of another person seeking or obtaining medical assistance for that overdose as described in subsection (b)(2)B. of this section.
9. “Seek or obtain medical assistance” includes, but is not limited to making a 9-1-1 call, contacting in person or by telephone call an on-duty peace officer, or transporting or presenting a person to a health care facility.
B. Subject to subsection (b)(2)F. of this section, a qualified individual shall not be arrested, charged, prosecuted, convicted or penalized pursuant to this chapter for a minor drug possession offense if all of the following apply:
1. The evidence of the obtaining, possession or use of the controlled substance or controlled substance analog that would be the basis of the offense was obtained as a result of the qualified individual seeking the medical assistance or experiencing an overdose and needing medical assistance.
2. Subject to subsection (b)(2)G. of this section, within thirty days after seeking or obtaining the medical assistance, the qualified individual seeks and obtains a screening and receives a referral for treatment from a community addiction services provider or a properly credentialed addiction treatment professional.
3. Subject to subsection (b)(2)G. of this section, the qualified individual who obtains a screening and receives a referral for treatment under subsection (b)(2)B.1. of this section, upon the request of any prosecuting attorney, submits documentation to the prosecuting attorney that verifies that the qualified individual satisfied the requirements of that subsection. The documentation shall be limited to the date and time of the screening obtained and referral received.
C. If a person is found to be in violation of any community control sanction and if the violation is a result of either of the following, the court shall first consider ordering the person’s participation or continued participation in a drug treatment program or mitigating the penalty specified in Ohio R.C. 2929.13, 2929.15, or 2929.25, whichever is applicable, after which the court has the discretion either to order the person’s participation or continued participation in a drug treatment program or to impose the penalty with the mitigating factor specified in any of those applicable sections:
1. Seeking or obtaining medical assistance in good faith for another person who is experiencing a drug overdose;
2. Experiencing a drug overdose and seeking medical assistance for that overdose or being the subject of another person seeking or obtaining medical assistance for that overdose as described in subsection (b)(2)B. of this section.
D. If a person is found to be in violation of any post-release control sanction and if the violation is a result of either of the following, the court or the parole board shall first consider ordering the person’s participation or continued participation in a drug treatment program or mitigating the penalty specified in Ohio R.C. 2929.141 or 2967.28, whichever is applicable, after which the court or the parole board has the discretion either to order the person’s participation or continued participation in a drug treatment program or to impose the penalty with the mitigating factor specified in either of those applicable sections:
1. Seeking or obtaining medical assistance in good faith for another person who is experiencing a drug overdose;
2. Experiencing a drug overdose and seeking medical assistance for that emergency or being the subject of another person seeking or obtaining medical assistance for that overdose as described in subsection (b)(2)B. of this section.
E. Nothing in subsection (b)(2)B. of this section shall be construed to do any of the following:
1. Limit the admissibility of any evidence in connection with the investigation or prosecution of a crime with regards to a defendant who does not qualify for the protections of subsection (b)(2)B. of this section or with regards to any crime other than a minor drug possession offense committed by a person who qualifies for protection pursuant to subsection (b)(2)B. of this section for a minor drug possession offense;
2. Limit any seizure of evidence or contraband otherwise permitted by law;
3. Limit or abridge the authority of a peace officer to detain or take into custody a person in the course of an investigation or to effectuate an arrest for any offense except as provided in that division;
4. Limit, modify or remove any immunity from liability available pursuant to law in effect prior to the effective date of this amendment to any public agency or to an employee of any public agency.
F. Subsection (b)(2)B. of this section does not apply to any person who twice previously has been granted an immunity under subsection (b)(2)B. of this section. No person shall be granted an immunity under subsection (b)(2)B. of this section more than two times.
G. Nothing in this section shall compel any qualified individual to disclose protected health information in a way that conflicts with the requirements of the “Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996", 104 Pub. L. No. 191, 110 Stat. 2021, 42 U.S.C. 1320d et seq., as amended, and regulations promulgated by the United States Department of Health and Human Services to implement the act or the requirements of 42 C.F.R. Part 2.
(c) Whoever violates subsection (a) hereof is guilty of one of the following:
(1) If the drug involved in the violation is a compound, mixture, preparation, or substance included in Schedule III, IV, or V, whoever violates subsection (a) hereof is guilty of possession of drugs. Possession of drugs is a misdemeanor if the amount of the drug involved does not exceed the bulk amount. The penalty for the offense shall be determined as follows: possession of drugs is a misdemeanor of the first degree or, if the offender previously has been convicted of a drug abuse offense, a felony and shall be prosecuted under appropriate State law.
(2) If the drug involved in the violation is marihuana or a compound, mixture, preparation, or substance containing marihuana other than hashish, whoever violates subsection (a) hereof is guilty of possession of marihuana. Possession of marihuana is a misdemeanor if the amount of the drug involved does not exceed 200 grams. The penalty for the offense shall be determined as follows:
A. Except as otherwise provided in subsection (c)(2)B. hereof, possession of marihuana is a minor misdemeanor.
B. If the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds 100 grams but is less than 200 grams, possession of marihuana is a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.
(3) If the drug involved in the violation is hashish or a compound, mixture, preparation, or substance containing hashish, whoever violates subsection (a) hereof is guilty of possession of hashish. Possession of hashish is a misdemeanor if the amount of the drug involved does not exceed the maximum amount specified in subsection (c)(3)B. hereof. The penalty for the offense shall be determined as follows:
A. Except as otherwise provided in subsection (c)(3)B. hereof, possession of hashish is a minor misdemeanor.
B. If the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds five grams but is less than ten grams of hashish in a solid form or equals or exceeds one gram but is less than two grams of hashish in a liquid concentrate, liquid extract, or liquid distillate form, possession of hashish is a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.
(d) In addition to any other sanction that is imposed for an offense under this section, the court that sentences an offender who is convicted of or pleads guilty to a violation of this section may suspend for not less than six months or more than five years the offender’s driver’s or commercial driver’s license or permit.
(e) Arrest or conviction for a minor misdemeanor violation of this section does not constitute a criminal record and need not be reported by the person so arrested or convicted in response to any inquiries about the person’s criminal record, including any inquiries contained in any application for employment, license, or other right or privilege, or made in connection with the person’s appearance as a witness.
(ORC 2925.11)