Section 2925.02 | Corrupting another with drugs.
(A) No person shall knowingly do any of the following:
(1) By force, threat, or deception, administer to another or induce or cause another to use a controlled substance;
(2) By any means, administer or furnish to another or induce or cause another to use a controlled substance with purpose to cause serious physical harm to the other person, or with purpose to cause the other person to become drug dependent;
(3) By any means, administer or furnish to another or induce or cause another to use a controlled substance, and thereby cause serious physical harm to the other person, or cause the other person to become drug dependent;
(4) By any means, do any of the following:
(a) Furnish or administer a controlled substance to a juvenile who is at least two years the offender's junior, when the offender knows the age of the juvenile or is reckless in that regard;
(b) Induce or cause a juvenile who is at least two years the offender's junior to use a controlled substance, when the offender knows the age of the juvenile or is reckless in that regard;
(c) Induce or cause a juvenile who is at least two years the offender's junior to commit a felony drug abuse offense, when the offender knows the age of the juvenile or is reckless in that regard;
(d) Use a juvenile, whether or not the offender knows the age of the juvenile, to perform any surveillance activity that is intended to prevent the detection of the offender or any other person in the commission of a felony drug abuse offense or to prevent the arrest of the offender or any other person for the commission of a felony drug abuse offense.
(5) By any means, furnish or administer a controlled substance to a pregnant woman or induce or cause a pregnant woman to use a controlled substance, when the offender knows that the woman is pregnant or is reckless in that regard.
(B) Division (A)(1), (3), (4), or (5) of this section does not apply to manufacturers, wholesalers, licensed health professionals authorized to prescribe drugs, pharmacists, owners of pharmacies, and other persons whose conduct is in accordance with Chapters 3719., 4715., 4723., 4729., 4730., 4731., and 4741. of the Revised Code.
(C) Whoever violates this section is guilty of corrupting another with drugs. The penalty for the offense shall be determined as follows:
(1) If the offense is a violation of division (A)(1), (2), (3), or (4) of this section and the drug involved is any compound, mixture, preparation, or substance included in schedule I or II, with the exception of marihuana, 1-Pentyl-3-(1-naphthoyl)indole, 1-Butyl-3-(1-naphthoyl)indole, 1-[2-(4-morpholinyl)ethyl]-3-(1-naphthoyl)indole, 5-(1,1-dimethylheptyl)-2-[(1R,3S)-3-hydroxycyclohexyl]-phenol, and 5-(1,1-dimethyloctyl)-2-[(1R,3S)-3-hydroxycyclohexyl]-phenol, the offender shall be punished as follows:
(a) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(1)(b) of this section, corrupting another with drugs committed in those circumstances is a felony of the second degree and, subject to division (E) of this section, the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term one of the prison terms prescribed for a felony of the second degree.
(b) If the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school, corrupting another with drugs committed in those circumstances is a felony of the first degree, and, subject to division (E) of this section, the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term one of the prison terms prescribed for a felony of the first degree.
(2) If the offense is a violation of division (A)(1), (2), (3), or (4) of this section and the drug involved is any compound, mixture, preparation, or substance included in schedule III, IV, or V, the offender shall be punished as follows:
(a) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(2)(b) of this section, corrupting another with drugs committed in those circumstances is a felony of the second degree and there is a presumption for a prison term for the offense.
(b) If the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school, corrupting another with drugs committed in those circumstances is a felony of the second degree and the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term one of the prison terms prescribed for a felony of the second degree.
(3) If the offense is a violation of division (A)(1), (2), (3), or (4) of this section and the drug involved is marihuana, 1-Pentyl-3-(1-naphthoyl)indole, 1-Butyl-3-(1-naphthoyl)indole, 1-[2-(4-morpholinyl)ethyl]-3-(1-naphthoyl)indole, 5-(1,1-dimethylheptyl)-2-[(1R,3S)-3-hydroxycyclohexyl]-phenol, or 5-(1,1-dimethyloctyl)-2-[(1R,3S)-3-hydroxycyclohexyl]-phenol, the offender shall be punished as follows:
(a) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(3)(b) of this section, corrupting another with drugs committed in those circumstances is a felony of the fourth degree and division (C) of section 2929.13 of the Revised Code applies in determining whether to impose a prison term on the offender.
(b) If the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school, corrupting another with drugs committed in those circumstances is a felony of the third degree and division (C) of section 2929.13 of the Revised Code applies in determining whether to impose a prison term on the offender.
(4) If the offense is a violation of division (A)(5) of this section and the drug involved is any compound, mixture, preparation, or substance included in schedule I or II, with the exception of marihuana, 1-Pentyl-3-(1-naphthoyl)indole, 1-Butyl-3-(1-naphthoyl)indole, 1-[2-(4-morpholinyl)ethyl]-3-(1-naphthoyl)indole, 5-(1,1-dimethylheptyl)-2-[(1R,3S)-3-hydroxycyclohexyl]-phenol, and 5-(1,1-dimethyloctyl)-2-[(1R,3S)-3-hydroxycyclohexyl]-phenol, corrupting another with drugs is a felony of the first degree and, subject to division (E) of this section, the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term one of the prison terms prescribed for a felony of the first degree.
(5) If the offense is a violation of division (A)(5) of this section and the drug involved is any compound, mixture, preparation, or substance included in schedule III, IV, or V, corrupting another with drugs is a felony of the second degree and the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term one of the prison terms prescribed for a felony of the second degree.
(6) If the offense is a violation of division (A)(5) of this section and the drug involved is marihuana, 1-Pentyl-3-(1-naphthoyl)indole, 1-Butyl-3-(1-naphthoyl)indole, 1-[2-(4-morpholinyl)ethyl]-3-(1-naphthoyl)indole, 5-(1,1-dimethylheptyl)-2-[(1R,3S)-3-hydroxycyclohexyl]-phenol, or 5-(1,1-dimethyloctyl)-2-[(1R,3S)-3-hydroxycyclohexyl]-phenol, corrupting another with drugs is a felony of the third degree and division (C) of section 2929.13 of the Revised Code applies in determining whether to impose a prison term on the offender.
(D) In addition to any prison term authorized or required by division (C) or (E) of this section and sections 2929.13 and 2929.14 of the Revised Code and in addition to any other sanction imposed for the offense under this section or sections 2929.11 to 2929.18 of the Revised Code, the court that sentences an offender who is convicted of or pleads guilty to a violation of division (A) of this section or the clerk of that court shall do all of the following that are applicable regarding the offender:
(1)(a) If the violation is a felony of the first, second, or third degree, the court shall impose upon the offender the mandatory fine specified for the offense under division (B)(1) of section 2929.18 of the Revised Code unless, as specified in that division, the court determines that the offender is indigent.
(b) Notwithstanding any contrary provision of section 3719.21 of the Revised Code, any mandatory fine imposed pursuant to division (D)(1)(a) of this section and any fine imposed for a violation of this section pursuant to division (A) of section 2929.18 of the Revised Code shall be paid by the clerk of the court in accordance with and subject to the requirements of, and shall be used as specified in, division (F) of section 2925.03 of the Revised Code.
(c) If a person is charged with any violation of this section that is a felony of the first, second, or third degree, posts bail, and forfeits the bail, the forfeited bail shall be paid by the clerk of the court pursuant to division (D)(1)(b) of this section as if it were a fine imposed for a violation of this section.
(2) The court shall suspend for not less than six months nor more than five years the offender's driver's or commercial driver's license or permit. If an offender's driver's or commercial driver's license or permit is suspended pursuant to this division, the offender, at any time after the expiration of two years from the day on which the offender's sentence was imposed or from the day on which the offender finally was released from a prison term under the sentence, whichever is later, may file a motion with the sentencing court requesting termination of the suspension. Upon the filing of the motion and the court's finding of good cause for the termination, the court may terminate the suspension.
(3) If the offender is a professionally licensed person, in addition to any other sanction imposed for a violation of this section, the court immediately shall comply with section 2925.38 of the Revised Code.
(E) Notwithstanding the prison term otherwise authorized or required for the offense under division (C) of this section and sections 2929.13 and 2929.14 of the Revised Code, if the violation of division (A) of this section involves the sale, offer to sell, or possession of a schedule I or II controlled substance, with the exception of marihuana, 1-Pentyl-3-(1-naphthoyl)indole, 1-Butyl-3-(1-naphthoyl)indole, 1-[2-(4-morpholinyl)ethyl]-3-(1-naphthoyl)indole, 5-(1,1-dimethylheptyl)-2-[(1R,3S)-3-hydroxycyclohexyl]-phenol, and 5-(1,1-dimethyloctyl)-2-[(1R,3S)-3-hydroxycyclohexyl]-phenol, and if the court imposing sentence upon the offender finds that the offender as a result of the violation is a major drug offender and is guilty of a specification of the type described in section 2941.1410 of the Revised Code, the court, in lieu of the prison term that otherwise is authorized or required, shall impose upon the offender the mandatory prison term specified in division (B)(3)(a) of section 2929.14 of the Revised Code.
Available Versions of this Section
- October 17, 2011 – House Bill 64, House Bill 86 - 129th General Assembly [ View October 17, 2011 Version ]
- March 19, 2015 – Senate Bill 276 - 130th General Assembly [ View March 19, 2015 Version ]
- September 13, 2016 – Senate Bill 204 - 131st General Assembly [ View September 13, 2016 Version ]
- October 31, 2018 – Amended by Senate Bill 1, Senate Bill 201 - 132nd General Assembly [ View October 31, 2018 Version ]
- March 22, 2019 – Amended by Senate Bill 1, Senate Bill 201 - 132nd General Assembly [ View March 22, 2019 Version ]
- April 6, 2023 – Amended by House Bill 281 - 134th General Assembly [ View April 6, 2023 Version ]