
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
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[Laws in effect as of January 2, 2001]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 2, 2001 and January 28, 2002]
[CITE: 21USC801a]

 
                        TITLE 21--FOOD AND DRUGS
 
              CHAPTER 13--DRUG ABUSE PREVENTION AND CONTROL
 
                  SUBCHAPTER I--CONTROL AND ENFORCEMENT
 
                     Part A--Introductory Provisions
 
Sec. 801a. Congressional findings and declarations: psychotropic 
        substances
        
    The Congress makes the following findings and declarations:
        (1) The Congress has long recognized the danger involved in the 
    manufacture, distribution, and use of certain psychotropic 
    substances for nonscientific and nonmedical purposes, and has 
    provided strong and effective legislation to control illicit 
    trafficking and to regulate legitimate uses of psychotropic 
    substances in this country. Abuse of psychotropic substances has 
    become a phenomenon common to many countries, however, and is not 
    confined to national borders. It is, therefore, essential that the 
    United States cooperate with other nations in establishing effective 
    controls over international traffic in such substances.
        (2) The United States has joined with other countries in 
    executing an international treaty, entitled the Convention on 
    Psychotropic Substances and signed at Vienna, Austria, on February 
    21, 1971, which is designed to establish suitable controls over the 
    manufacture, distribution, transfer, and use of certain psychotropic 
    substances. The Convention is not self-executing, and the 
    obligations of the United States thereunder may only be performed 
    pursuant to appropriate legislation. It is the intent of the 
    Congress that the amendments made by this Act, together with 
    existing law, will enable the United States to meet all of its 
    obligations under the Convention and that no further legislation 
    will be necessary for that purpose.
        (3) In implementing the Convention on Psychotropic Substances, 
    the Congress intends that, consistent with the obligations of the 
    United States under the Convention, control of psychotropic 
    substances in the United States should be accomplished within the 
    framework of the procedures and criteria for classification of 
    substances provided in the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and 
    Control Act of 1970 [21 U.S.C. 801 et seq.]. This will insure that 
    (A) the availability of psychotropic substances to manufacturers, 
    distributors, dispensers, and researchers for useful and legitimate 
    medical and scientific purposes will not be unduly restricted; (B) 
    nothing in the Convention will interfere with bona fide research 
    activities; and (C) nothing in the Convention will interfere with 
    ethical medical practice in this country as determined by the 
    Secretary of Health and Human Services on the basis of a consensus 
    of the views of the American medical and scientific community.

(Pub. L. 95-633, title I, Sec. 101, Nov. 10, 1978, 92 Stat. 3768; Pub. 
L. 96-88, title V, Sec. 509(b), Oct. 17, 1979, 93 Stat. 695.)

                       References in Text

    This Act, referred to in par. (2), is Pub. L. 95-633, Nov. 10, 1978, 
92 Stat. 2768, as amended, known as the Psychotropic Substances Act of 
1978, which enacted sections 801a, 830, and 852 of this title, amended 
sections 352, 802, 811, 812, 823, 827, 841 to 843, 872, 881, 952, 953, 
and 965 of this title and section 242a of Title 42, The Public Health 
and Welfare, repealed section 830 of this title effective Jan. 1, 1981, 
and enacted provisions set out as notes under sections 801, 801a, 812, 
and 830 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the 
Code, see Short Title of 1978 Amendment note set out under section 801 
of this title and Tables.
    The Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970, 
referred to in par. (3), is Pub. L. 91-513, Oct. 27, 1970, 84 Stat. 
1236, as amended, which is classified principally to this chapter 
[Sec. 801 et seq.]. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, 
see Short Title note set out under section 801 of this title and Tables.

                          Codification

    Section was enacted as a part of the Psychotropic Substances Act of 
1978, and not as a part of the Controlled Substances Act which comprises 
this subchapter.

                         Change of Name

    ``Secretary of Health and Human Services'' substituted for 
``Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare'' in par. (3) pursuant to 
section 509(b) of Pub. L. 96-88, which is classified to section 3508(b) 
of Title 20, Education.


                             Effective Date

    Section 112 of title I of Pub. L. 95-633 provided that: ``This title 
[enacting this section and section 852 of this title, amending sections 
352, 802, 811, 812, 823, 827, 872, 952, and 953 of this title and 
section 242a of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, and enacting 
provisions set out as notes under sections 801 and 812 of this title] 
and the amendments made by this title shall take effect on the date the 
Convention on Psychotropic Substances, signed at Vienna, Austria on 
February 21, 1971, enters into force in respect to the United States.'' 
[The Convention entered into force in respect to the United States on 
July 15, 1980.]
