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:
E159
Power pursuant to section exercised (29.07.2025) by Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I No. 405 of 2025).
E160
Power pursuant to section exercised (29.02.2024) by Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (S.I. No. 71 of 2024).
E161
Power pursuant to section exercised (30.03.2023) by Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Regulations 2023 (S.I. No. 150 of 2023).
E162
Power pursuant to section exercised (27.04.2022) by Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Regulations 2022 (S.I. No. 210 of 2022).
E163
Power pursuant to section exercised (2.04.2020) by Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (S.I. No. 99 of 2020).
E164
Power pursuant to section exercised (26.06.2019) by Misuse Of Drugs (Amendment) Regulations 2019 (S.I. No. 282 of 2019).
E165
Power pursuant to section exercised (4.05.2017) by Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2017 (S.I. No. 173 of 2017), in effect as per reg. 1(2).
E166
Power pursuant to section exercised (17.12.2014) by Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2014 (S.I. No. 583 of 2014).
E167
Power pursuant to section exercised (11.07.2014) by Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Regulations 2014 (S.I. No. 323 of 2014).
E168
Power pursuant to section exercised (1.05.2007) by Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Regulations 2007 (S.I. No. 200 of 2007).
E169
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).
E170
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).
E171
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.
E172
Previous affecting provision: power pursuant to section exercised (1.05.1979) by Misuse of Drugs Regulations 1979 (S.I. No. 32 of 1979), in effect as per reg. 2; revoked (8.12.1988) by Misuse of Drugs Regulations 1988 (S.I. No. 328 of 1988), reg. 2.