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Misuse of Drugs Act 1977
Forged or fraudulently altered prescriptions.
18.—(1) A person shall not forge a document purporting to be a prescription issued by a practitioner (which document is in this Act referred to as a forged prescription).
(2) A person shall not with intent to deceive either alter or use a prescription which has been duly issued by a practitioner (which document is in this Act referred to as a duly issued prescription).
(3) A person shall not have in his possession either a forged prescription or a duly issued prescription which has been altered with intent to deceive.
(4) The Minister may by regulations declare that in circumstances specified in the regulations subsection (3) of this section shall not apply in relation to persons who are of a prescribed class or description, and for so long as regulations under this subsection are in force the said subsection (3) shall be construed in accordance with and have effect subject to the regulations.
(5) A person who contravenes a provision of this section shall be guilty of an offence.
Annotations
Editorial Notes:
E167
Power pursuant to section (29.07.2026) by Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2026 (S.I. No. 438 of 2026).
E168
Power pursuant to section exercised (30.06.2026) by Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2026 (S.I. No. 139 of 2026), in operation as per reg. 3.
E169
Power pursuant to section exercised (14.01.2026) by Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (S.I. No. 9 of 2026).
E170
Power pursuant to section exercised (29.02.2024) by Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (S.I. No. 71 of 2024).
E171
Power pursuant to section exercised (30.03.2023) by Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Regulations 2023 (S.I. No. 150 of 2023).
E172
Power pursuant to section exercised (27.04.2022) by Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Regulations 2022 (S.I. No. 210 of 2022).
E173
Power pursuant to section exercised (2.04.2020) by Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (S.I. No. 99 of 2020).
E174
Power pursuant to section exercised (26.06.2019) by Misuse Of Drugs (Amendment) Regulations 2019 (S.I. No. 282 of 2019).
E175
Power pursuant to section exercised (4.05.2017) by Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2017 (S.I. No. 173 of 2017), in operation as per reg. 1(2).
E176
Power pursuant to section exercised (17.12.2014) by Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2014 (S.I. No. 583 of 2014).
E177
Power pursuant to section exercised (11.07.2014) by Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Regulations 2014 (S.I. No. 323 of 2014).
E178
Power pursuant to section exercised (1.05.2007) by Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Regulations 2007 (S.I. No. 200 of 2007).
E179
Previous affecting provision: power pursuant to section exercised (29.07.2025) by Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. No. 405 of 2025); revoked (29.07.2026) by Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2026 (S.I. No. 438 of 2026), reg. 5.
E180
Previous affecting provision: power pursuant to section exercised (18.03.2021) by Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (S.I. No. 121 of 2021); revoked (27.04.2022) by Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Regulations 2022 (S.I. No. 210 of 2022), reg. 3(b).
E181
Previous affecting provision: power pursuant to section exercised (24.11.2017) by Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Regulations 2017 (S.I. No. 532 of 2017); revoked (27.04.2022) by Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Regulations 2022 (S.I. No 210 of 2022), reg. 3(a).
E182
Previous affecting provision: power pursuant to section exercised (8.12.1988) by Misuse of Drugs Regulations 1988 (S.I. No. 328 of 1988). Note that this SI was given statutory status (12.03.2015) by Misuse Of Drugs (Amendment) Act 2015 (6/2015), s. 2 and sch. 2, commenced as per s. 1(3). It was revoked (4.05.2017) by Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Act 2016 (9/2016), s. 7(d), S.I. No. 172 of 2017.
E183
Previous affecting provision: power pursuant to section exercised (1.05.1979) by Misuse of Drugs Regulations 1979 (S.I. No. 32 of 1979), in operation as per reg. 2; revoked (8.12.1988) by Misuse of Drugs Regulations 1988 (S.I. No. 328 of 1988), reg. 2.