---
title: O.C.G.A. § 16-13-43. Unauthorized distribution; penalties.
collection: code
id: 16-13-43
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 16-13-43 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-13-43
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-13-43.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-13-43/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t16-ch12-17-(v14b)-2024-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=a591fa7b_0#page=541
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-13.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-13-42.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-13-44.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: CRIMES AND OFFENSES / CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES / REGULATION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES / SCHEDULES, OFFENSES, AND PENALTIES
---

# O.C.G.A. § 16-13-43. Unauthorized distribution; penalties.

(a) It is unlawful for any person:

(1) Who is a registrant to distribute a controlled substance classified in Schedule I or II, except pursuant to an order form as required by Code Section 16-13-40;

(2) To use, in the course of the manufacture or distribution of a controlled substance, a registration number which is fictitious, revoked, suspended, or issued to another person;

(3) To acquire or obtain possession of a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, deception, subterfuge, or theft;

(4) To furnish false or fraudulent material information in, or omit any material information from, any application, report, or other document or record required to be kept or filed under this article;

(5) To make, distribute, or possess any punch, die, plate, stone, or other thing designed to print, imprint, or reproduce the trademark, trade name, or other identifying mark, imprint, or device of another or any likeness of any of the foregoing, upon any drug or container or labeling thereof so as to render the drug a counterfeit substance; or

(6) To withhold information from a practitioner that such person has obtained a controlled substance of a similar therapeutic use in a concurrent time period from another practitioner.

(b) Any person who violates this Code section is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, may be imprisoned for not more than eight years or fined not more than $50,000.00, or both.

## History

Code 1933, § 79A-819, enacted by Ga. L. 1967, p. 296, § 1; Code 1933, § 79A-822, enacted by Ga. L. 1974, p. 221, § 1; Ga. L. 1978, p. 1668, § 11; Ga. L. 1985, p. 1219, § 6; Ga. L. 1987, p. 261, § 6.