Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Miscellaneous Amendment Act 2017
Authorised by the Chief Parliamentary Counsel
Authorised Version
i
Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances
Miscellaneous Amendment Act 2017
No. 40 of 2017
TABLE OF PROVISIONS
Section Page
Part 1—Preliminary 1
1 Purpose 1
2 Commencement 2
3 Principal Act 2
Part 2—Amendment of Principal Act 3
4 Definitions 3
5 Persons authorized to have possession etc. of poisons or
controlled substances 5
6 Definitions for Division 10 of Part II 5
7 Exception to Schedule 8 permit requirement—patients in
prisons, aged care services and hospitals 6
8 New Part IIIA inserted 6
9 Definitions for Division 1 of Part IV 9
10 Where can police powers under this Division be exercised? 9
11 Definitions for Part V 9
12 New section 80ZF inserted 9
13 Warrant to search premises 10
14 Search without warrant 10
15 Forfeiture of drug of dependence or substance before
conviction 11
16 Appeals 11
17 Destruction of drugs of dependence—health and safety
interests 12
18 General regulations 12
19 New section 145 inserted 13
20 Part 3 of Schedule Eleven amended—methylamphetamine 13
21 Part 3 of Schedule Eleven amended—synthetic cannabinoids 13
22 Part 3 of Schedule Eleven amended—classes of synthetic
cannabinoids 14
23 Part 3 of Schedule Eleven amended—synthetic substances 15
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Section Page
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Part 3—Other amendments and repeal 16
Division 1—Confiscation Act 1997 16
24 Application for disposal order 16
25 Offences—Forfeiture on court order 17
Division 2—Repeal 17
26 Repeal of amending Act 17
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Endnotes 18
1 General information 18
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Authorised by the Chief Parliamentary Counsel
Authorised Version
1
Drugs, Poisons and Controlled
Substances Miscellaneous Amendment
Act 2017 †
No. 40 of 2017
[Assented to 12 September 2017]
The Parliament of Victoria enacts:
Part 1—Preliminary
1 Purpose
The purpose of this Act is to amend the Drugs,
Poisons and Controlled Substances Act 1981—
(a) to prohibit the production, sale and
advertising of psychoactive substances; and
Victoria
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Part 1—Preliminary
Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Miscellaneous Amendment
Act 2017
No. 40 of 2017
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(b) to apply the search, seizure and forfeiture
powers in Part VI of that Act and the
forfeiture powers in section 77 of the
Confiscation Act 1997 to psychoactive
substances; and
(c) to add further drugs of dependence to
Schedule Eleven to that Act; and
(d) to reduce the quantities of
methylamphetamine that are treated
as commercial quantities or large
commercial quantities by that Act; and
(e) to authorise medical practitioners and
nurse practitioners to administer, supply or
prescribe a Schedule 8 poison to or for a
person detained in a police gaol without a
Schedule 8 permit.
2 Commencement
(1) Subject to subsection (2), this Act comes into
operation on a day or days to be proclaimed.
(2) If a provision of this Act does not come into
operation before 1 November 2017, it comes
into operation on that day.
3 Principal Act
In this Act, the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled
Substances Act 1981 is called the Principal Act.
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Part 2—Amendment of Principal Act
Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Miscellaneous Amendment
Act 2017
No. 40 of 2017
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Part 2—Amendment of Principal Act
4 Definitions
In section 4(1) of the Principal Act insert the
following definitions—
"consume, in relation to a substance, includes the
following—
(a) ingest the substance;
(b) inject the substance;
(c) inhale the substance;
(d) smoke the substance, or inhale fumes
caused by heating or burning the
substance;
(e) apply the substance externally to the
body of a person;
(f) by any other means introduce the
substance into any part of the body of
a person;
psychoactive effect, in relation to a person,
means—
(a) stimulation or depression of the
person's central nervous system,
resulting in hallucinations or in a
significant disturbance in, or significant
change to, motor function, thinking,
behaviour, perception, awareness or
mood; or
(b) causing a state of dependence,
including physical or psychological
addiction;
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Part 2—Amendment of Principal Act
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psychoactive substance means—
(a) a substance that, when consumed by a
person, has a psychoactive effect; or
(b) a substance that is represented as,
or in any other way held out to be, a
substance that, when consumed by a
person, has a psychoactive effect; or
(c) a substance referred to in paragraph (a)
or (b) that is contained in or mixed with
another substance—
but does not include any of the following—
(d) a drug of dependence;
(e) a poison or controlled substance;
(f) a volatile substance within the meaning
of Part IV;
(g) medicinal cannabis;
(h) a therapeutic good—
(i) included in the Register within the
meaning of the Therapeutic Goods
Act 1989 of the Commonwealth;
or
(ii) exempted from the operation of
Part 3-2 of that Act by regulations
made under section 18 of that Act;
or
(iii) exempted from Division 2
of Part 3-2 of that Act under
section 18A of that Act; or
(iv) that is the subject of an approval
or authority under section 19 of
that Act, if used in accordance
with that approval or authority; or
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Part 2—Amendment of Principal Act
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(v) that is the subject of an approval
under section 19A of that Act, if
used in accordance with that
approval;
(i) food within the meaning of the Food
Act 1984 that complies with the Food
Standards Code within the meaning of
that Act;
(j) liquor within the meaning of the
Liquor Control Reform Act 1998;
(k) a tobacco product within the meaning
of the Tobacco Act 1987;
(l) a chemical product within the meaning
of the Agricultural and Veterinary
Chemicals (Control of Use) Act 1992;
(m) a plant or fungus or an extract of a plant
or fungus;
(n) a prescribed substance or a substance
that is in a prescribed class of
substances;
public place has the same meaning as it has in the
Summary Offences Act 1966;".
5 Persons authorized to have possession etc. of poisons
or controlled substances
In section 13(1)(c) of the Principal Act, for
"opthalmic" substitute "ophthalmic".
6 Definitions for Division 10 of Part II
In section 31(1) of the Principal Act insert the
following definition—
"police gaol has the same meaning as it has in
section 3(1) of the Corrections Act 1986;".
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Part 2—Amendment of Principal Act
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7 Exception to Schedule 8 permit requirement—
patients in prisons, aged care services and hospitals
(1) In the heading to section 34F of the Principal Act,
after "prisons," insert "police gaols,".
(2) After section 34F(a) of the Principal Act insert—
"(ab) a person being treated in a police gaol for
the period in the police gaol and a period not
exceeding 7 days after that person's release
from the police gaol; or".
8 New Part IIIA inserted
After Part III of the Principal Act insert—
"Part IIIA—Psychoactive
substances
56A Definitions
(1) In this Part—
advertisement means—
(a) any words, whether written or
spoken; or
(b) any pictorial representation or
design; or
(c) any other representation by any
means at all;
produce means make, prepare, process,
extract, refine, package or label.
(2) The definition of label in section 4(1) does
not apply to this Part.
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Part 2—Amendment of Principal Act
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56B Burden of proof
Section 104 does not apply to an offence
against this Part.
56C Representation that not for human
consumption not a defence
It is not a defence to a charge for an offence
against this Part that any labelling of, or
representation made about, a substance
indicates that it is not for human
consumption.
56D Offence to produce psychoactive
substance
A person must not produce a substance that
the person knows or reasonably suspects is a
psychoactive substance.
Penalty: In the case of a natural person,
240 penalty units or imprisonment
for 2 years or both;
In the case of a body corporate,
1200 penalty units.
56E Offence to sell or supply psychoactive
substance
(1) A person must not sell a substance that the
person knows or reasonably suspects is a
psychoactive substance.
Penalty: In the case of a natural person,
240 penalty units or imprisonment
for 2 years or both;
In the case of a body corporate,
1200 penalty units.
(2) A person must not, in the course of carrying
out a commercial activity, supply to another
person a substance that the person knows or
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Part 2—Amendment of Principal Act
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reasonably suspects is a psychoactive
substance.
Penalty: In the case of a natural person,
240 penalty units or imprisonment
for 2 years or both;
In the case of a body corporate,
1200 penalty units.
56F Offence to advertise psychoactive
substance
(1) A person must not display or cause or permit
to be displayed on or inside a public place or
a vehicle or vessel that is in a public place an
advertisement that the person intends as a
promotion of the consumption, sale or
supply of a psychoactive substance or
psychoactive substances generally.
Penalty: In the case of a natural person,
240 penalty units or imprisonment
for 2 years or both;
In the case of a body corporate,
1200 penalty units.
(2) A person must not display or cause or permit
to be displayed on or inside a public place or
a vehicle or vessel that is in a public place an
advertisement if the person knows that there
is a substantial risk that the consumption,
sale or supply of a psychoactive substance or
psychoactive substances generally may be
promoted by that advertisement.
Penalty: In the case of a natural person,
240 penalty units or imprisonment
for 2 years or both;
In the case of a body corporate,
1200 penalty units.".
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Part 2—Amendment of Principal Act
Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Miscellaneous Amendment
Act 2017
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9 Definitions for Division 1 of Part IV
In section 57(1) of the Principal Act, in
paragraph (a) of the definition of volatile
substance, for "propellent" substitute
"propellant".
10 Where can police powers under this Division be
exercised?
Section 60C(2) of the Principal Act is repealed.
11 Definitions for Part V
In section 70(1) of the Principal Act, in Example 1
at the foot of the definition of aggregated large
commercial quantity—
(a) for "800 grams" (where secondly occurring)
substitute "450 grams";
(b) for "1 kilogram for methylamphetamine"
substitute "750 grams for
methylamphetamine";
(c) for " 800
/ 1000 " (where secondly occurring)
substitute "450 /750";
(d) for " 4 / 5" (where secondly occurring)
substitute "3 / 5 ";
(e) for " 11 /5 or 2·2" substitute " 10 / 5 or 2".
12 New section 80ZF inserted
Before section 81 of the Principal Act insert—
"80ZF Definitions
In this Part—
commercial supply means supply in the
course of carrying out a commercial
activity;
produce has the same meaning as it has in
Part IIIA.".
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Part 2—Amendment of Principal Act
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13 Warrant to search premises
In section 81(8) of the Principal Act, the
definition of public place is repealed.
14 Search without warrant
(1) In section 82(f) of the Principal Act, for
"boat vessel" substitute "boat, vessel".
(2) At the end of section 82 of the Principal Act
insert—
"(2) If a police officer has reasonable grounds
for suspecting that there is a psychoactive
substance—
(a) on or in a vehicle in a public place; or
(b) on an animal in a public place; or
(c) in the possession of a person in a
public place; or
(d) on or in a boat or vessel, underway
or not; or
(e) on or in an aircraft—
the police officer may with any assistance
that the police officer thinks necessary do
any of the following—
(f) search the vehicle, animal, person, boat,
vessel or aircraft;
(g) seize and carry away any instrument,
device or substance which the police
officer reasonably believes to be used
or capable of being used for or in the
production, sale, commercial supply or
preparation for sale or commercial
supply of any psychoactive substance;
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Part 2—Amendment of Principal Act
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(h) seize and carry away the psychoactive
substance—
and deal with it according to law.".
15 Forfeiture of drug of dependence or substance
before conviction
(1) In section 83(1) of the Principal Act—
(a) in paragraph (a), after "dependence" insert
", a psychoactive substance";
(b) for paragraph (b) substitute—
"(b) an instrument, device or substance is an
instrument, device or substance that is
or has been used or is capable of being
used for or in—
(i) the cultivation, manufacture, sale
or use or in the preparation for
cultivation, manufacture, sale or
use of a drug of dependence; or
(ii) the production, sale, commercial
supply or preparation for sale
or commercial supply of a
psychoactive substance—";
(c) for "dependence or poison" (where twice
occurring) substitute "dependence,
psychoactive substance or poison";
(d) in paragraph (c), after "dependence," insert
"psychoactive substance,".
(2) In section 83(5) of the Principal Act, after
"dependence" insert ", psychoactive substance".
16 Appeals
In section 90(1) and (6) of the Principal Act, for
"drug related offence" substitute "offence in
relation to a drug of dependence or a psychoactive
substance".
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Part 2—Amendment of Principal Act
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17 Destruction of drugs of dependence—health and
safety interests
(1) In the heading to section 91 of the Principal Act,
after "dependence" insert "and psychoactive
substances".
(2) In section 91(1) of the Principal Act—
(a) in paragraph (b)—
(i) after subparagraph (i) insert—
"(ia) a psychoactive substance; or";
(ii) in subparagraph (iii), for
"dependence; and" substitute
"dependence; or";
(iii) after subparagraph (iii) insert—
"(iv) an instrument, device or
substance that is or has been
used or is capable of being used
for or in the production, sale,
commercial supply or preparation
for sale or commercial supply of a
psychoactive substance; and";
(b) after "drug of dependence," insert
"psychoactive substance,".
(3) In sections 91(4) and 94(1)(c) of the Principal Act,
after "provision of" insert "Part IIIA or".
18 General regulations
After section 132(r) of the Principal Act insert—
"(s) prescribing substances, or classes of
substances, that are not psychoactive
substances;".
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19 New section 145 inserted
After section 144 of the Principal Act insert—
"145 Transitional—Drugs, Poisons and
Controlled Substances Miscellaneous
Amendment Act 2017
(1) The amendment made to Schedule Eleven
by sections 20 to 23 of the Drugs, Poisons
and Controlled Substances Miscellaneous
Amendment Act 2017 apply only to
offences alleged to have been committed
after the commencement of the applicable
section.
(2) For the purposes of subsection (1), if an
offence is alleged to have been committed
between 2 dates, one before and one on or
after the commencement of the applicable
section of the Drugs, Poisons and
Controlled Substances Miscellaneous
Amendment Act 2017, the offence is
alleged to have been committed before that
commencement.".
20 Part 3 of Schedule Eleven amended—
methylamphetamine
In Part 3 of Schedule Eleven to the
Principal Act, for the item relating to
"METHYLAMPHETAMINE" substitute—
"METHYLAMPHETAMINE 500·0 g 750·0 g 50·0 g 250·0 g 30·0 g 3·0 g - 0·75 g".
21 Part 3 of Schedule Eleven amended—synthetic
cannabinoids
In Part 3 of Schedule Eleven to the Principal Act,
after the item relating to "1-(5-
FLUOROPENTYL)-INDOLE-3-CARBOXYLIC
ACID 8-QUINOLINYL ESTER (5F-PB-22)"
insert—
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Part 2—Amendment of Principal Act
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"N-[1-
(AMINOCARBONYL)-2-
METHYLPROPYL]-1-
PENTYLINDAZOLE-3-
CARBOXAMIDE (common
name AB-PINACA)
- 10·0 kg - 1·0 kg - 3·0 g - 1·0 g
N-[1-
(AMINOCARBONYL)-2-
METHYLPROPYL]-1-
(CYCLOHEXYLMETHYL)
INDAZOLE-3-
CARBOXAMIDE (common
name
AB-CHMINACA)
- 10·0 kg - 1·0 kg - 3·0 g - 1·0 g
N-[1-
(METHOXYCARBONYL)-
2,2-DIMETHYLPROPYL]-
1-
(CYCLOHEXYLMETHYL)
INDOLE-3-
CARBOXAMIDE (common
name MMB-CHMINACA)
- 10·0 kg - 1·0 kg - 3·0 g - 1·0 g
N-[1-
(AMINOCARBONYL)-2-
METHYLPROPYL]-1-[(4-
FLUOROPHENYL)
METHYL]-INDAZOLE-3-
CARBOXAMIDE (common
name AB-FUBINACA)
- 10·0 kg - 1·0 kg - 3·0 g - 1·0 g".
22 Part 3 of Schedule Eleven amended—classes of
synthetic cannabinoids
In Part 3 of Schedule Eleven to the Principal Act,
after the item relating to "INDOLE-3-
CARBOXYLIC ACID, QUINOLINYL ESTERS"
insert—
"AZAINDOLE-3-
CARBOXAMIDES with
any modification on the
azaindole or amide
nitrogens, whether or not
further modified on the
azaindole ring
- 10·0 kg - 1·0 kg - 3·0 g - 1·0 g
INDAZOLE-3-
CARBOXAMIDES
whether or not with any
modification on the
indazole or amide
nitrogens, whether or not
further modified on the
indazole ring
- 10·0 kg - 1·0 kg - 3·0 g - 1·0 g
INDAZOLE-3-
CARBOXYLATES with
any modification on the
indazole nitrogens or the
carboxylate oxygen,
whether or not further
modified on the indazole
ring
- 10·0 kg - 1·0 kg - 3·0 g - 1·0 g
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INDOLE-3-
CARBOXAMIDES with
any modification on the
indole or amide nitrogens,
whether or not further
modified on the indole
ring
- 10·0 kg - 1·0 kg - 3·0 g - 1·0 g
INDOLE-3-
CARBOXYLATES with
any modification on the
indole nitrogen or the
carboxylate oxygen,
whether or not further
modified on the indole
ring
- 10·0 kg - 1·0 kg - 3·0 g - 1·0 g
PYRAZOLE-3-
CARBOXAMIDES with
any modification on the
pyrazole or amide
nitrogens, whether or not
further modified on the
pyrazole ring
- 10·0 kg - 1·0 kg - 3·0 g - 1·0 g
PYRAZOLE-5-
CARBOXAMIDES with
any modification on the
pyrazole or amide
nitrogens, whether or not
further modified on the
pyrazole ring
- 10·0 kg - 1·0 kg - 3·0 g - 1·0 g".
23 Part 3 of Schedule Eleven amended—synthetic
substances
At the end of Part 3 of Schedule Eleven to the
Principal Act insert—
"3,4-DICHLORO-N-([1-
(DIMETHYLAMINO)
CYCLOHEXYL]METHYL)
BENZAMIDE (common
name AH-7921)
750·0 g 1·0 kg 250·0 g 500·0 g 30·0 g 3·0 g - 1·0 g
N-[(1-
AMINOCYCLOHEXYL)
METHYL]BENZAMIDES,
including those with any
modification on the amino-
or amido-nitrogens, whether
or not further modified on
the aromatic or cyclohexyl
rings
750·0 g 1·0 kg 250·0 g 500·0 g 30·0 g 3·0 g - 1·0 g".
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Part 3—Other amendments and repeal
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Part 3—Other amendments and repeal
Division 1—Confiscation Act 1997
24 Application for disposal order
(1) In section 77(1) of the Confiscation Act 1997—
(a) in paragraph (a), after "a drug of
dependence" insert ", a psychoactive
substance";
(b) for paragraph (b) substitute—
"(b) an instrument, device or substance
that is or has been used or is capable
of being used for or in—
(i) the cultivation, manufacture, sale
or use or in the preparation for
cultivation, manufacture, sale or
use of a drug of dependence
within the meaning of the Drugs,
Poisons and Controlled
Substances Act 1981; or
(ii) the production, sale, commercial
supply or preparation for sale
or commercial supply of a
psychoactive substance within
the meaning of the Drugs,
Poisons and Controlled
Substances Act 1981; or".
(2) After section 77(2) of the Confiscation Act 1997
insert—
"(3) In this section, commercial supply has the
same meaning as it has in Part VI of the
Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances
Act 1981.".
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Part 3—Other amendments and repeal
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No. 40 of 2017
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25 Offences—Forfeiture on court order
After item 5A of Schedule 1 to the Confiscation
Act 1997 insert—
"5B. An offence against any of the following
provisions of the Drugs, Poisons and
Controlled Substances Act 1981—
(a) section 56D (producing a
psychoactive substance);
(b) section 56E(1) or (2) (selling or
supplying a psychoactive substance);
(c) section 56F(1) or (2) (advertising a
psychoactive substance).".
Division 2—Repeal
26 Repeal of amending Act
This Act is repealed on 1 November 2018.
Note
The repeal of this Act does not affect the continuing
operation of the amendments made by it (see section 15(1)
of the Interpretation of Legislation Act 1984).
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Endnotes
Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Miscellaneous Amendment
Act 2017
No. 40 of 2017
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Endnotes
1 General information
See www.legislation.vic.gov.au for Victorian Bills, Acts and current
authorised versions of legislation and up-to-date legislative information.
† Minister's second reading speech—
Legislative Assembly: 9 March 2017
Legislative Council: 2 May 2017
The long title for the Bill for this Act was "A Bill for an Act to amend
the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act 1981 in relation to
psychoactive substances, methylamphetamine and opioid substitution
therapy and for other purposes."
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