Section 2925.23 | Illegal processing of drug documents.
(A) No person shall knowingly make a false statement in any prescription, order, report, or record required by Chapter 3719. or 4729. of the Revised Code.
(B) No person shall intentionally make, utter, or sell, or knowingly possess any of the following that is a false or forged:
(1) Prescription;
(2) Uncompleted preprinted prescription blank used for writing a prescription;
(3) Official written order;
(4) License for a terminal distributor of dangerous drugs, as defined in section 4729.01 of the Revised Code;
(5) License for a manufacturer of dangerous drugs, outsourcing facility, third-party logistics provider, repackager of dangerous drugs, or wholesale distributor of dangerous drugs, as defined in section 4729.01 of the Revised Code.
(C) No person, by theft as defined in section 2913.02 of the Revised Code, shall acquire any of the following:
(1) A prescription;
(2) An uncompleted preprinted prescription blank used for writing a prescription;
(3) An official written order;
(4) A blank official written order;
(5) A license or blank license for a terminal distributor of dangerous drugs, as defined in section 4729.01 of the Revised Code;
(6) A license or blank license for a manufacturer of dangerous drugs, outsourcing facility, third-party logistics provider, repackager of dangerous drugs, or wholesale distributor of dangerous drugs, as defined in section 4729.01 of the Revised Code.
(D) No person shall knowingly make or affix any false or forged label to a package or receptacle containing any dangerous drugs.
(E) Divisions (A) and (D) of this section do not apply to licensed health professionals authorized to prescribe drugs, pharmacists, owners of pharmacies, and other persons whose conduct is in accordance with Chapters 3719., 4715., 4723., 4725., 4729., 4730., 4731., 4741., 4772. of the Revised Code.
(F) Whoever violates this section is guilty of illegal processing of drug documents. If the offender violates division (B)(2), (4), or (5) or division (C)(2), (4), (5), or (6) of this section, illegal processing of drug documents is a felony of the fifth degree. If the offender violates division (A), division (B)(1) or (3), division (C)(1) or (3), or division (D) of this section, the penalty for illegal processing of drug documents shall be determined as follows:
(1) If the drug involved is a compound, mixture, preparation, or substance included in schedule I or II, with the exception of marihuana, illegal processing of drug documents 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.
(2) If the drug involved is a dangerous drug or a compound, mixture, preparation, or substance included in schedule III, IV, or V or is marihuana, illegal processing of drug documents is a felony of the fifth degree, and division (C) of section 2929.13 of the Revised Code applies in determining whether to impose a prison term on the offender.
(G)(1) 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.
If the offender has a driver's or commercial driver's license or permit, section 2929.33 of the Revised Code applies.
(2) Any offender who received a mandatory suspension of the offender's driver's or commercial driver's license or permit under this section prior to September 13, 2016, may file a motion with the sentencing court requesting the termination of the suspension. However, an offender who pleaded guilty to or was convicted of a violation of section 4511.19 of the Revised Code or a substantially similar municipal ordinance or law of another state or the United States that arose out of the same set of circumstances as the violation for which the offender's license or permit was suspended under this section shall not file such a motion.
Upon the filing of a motion under division (G)(2) of this section, the sentencing court, in its discretion, may terminate the suspension.
(H) Notwithstanding any contrary provision of section 3719.21 of the Revised Code, the clerk of court shall pay a fine imposed for a violation of this section pursuant to division (A) of section 2929.18 of the Revised Code in accordance with and subject to the requirements of division (F) of section 2925.03 of the Revised Code. The agency that receives the fine shall use the fine as specified in division (F) of section 2925.03 of the Revised Code.
The Legislative Service Commission presents the text of this section as a composite of the section as amended by multiple acts of the General Assembly. This presentation recognizes the principle stated in R.C. 1.52(B) that amendments are to be harmonized if reasonably capable of simultaneous operation.
Last updated January 21, 2025 at 11:59 AM
Available Versions of this Section
- May 17, 2006 – Senate Bill 154 - 126th General Assembly [ View May 17, 2006 Version ]
- September 13, 2016 – Senate Bill 204 - 131st General Assembly [ View September 13, 2016 Version ]
- September 29, 2017 – Amended by House Bill 49 - 132nd General Assembly [ View September 29, 2017 Version ]
- March 22, 2019 – Amended by Senate Bill 229 - 132nd General Assembly [ View March 22, 2019 Version ]
- April 9, 2025 – Amended by House Bill 29 (GA 135), Senate Bill 95 (GA 135) [ View April 9, 2025 Version ]