(A) No person shall knowingly do any of the following:

Attorney's Note

Under the Ohio Code, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
Felony of the first degree3 years or moreup to $20,000
Felony of the second degree2 years or moreup to $15,000
Felony of the third degree9 months to 5 yearsup to $10,000
Felony of the fourth degree6 to 18 monthsup to $5,000
For details, see Ohio Code § 2929.14(A)(1), Ohio Code § 2929.14(A)(2), Ohio Code § 2929.14(A)(3) and Ohio Code § 2929.14(A)(4)
Have a question? Click here to chat with a criminal defense lawyer and protect your rights.

Terms Used In Ohio Code 2925.02

  • Another: when used to designate the owner of property which is the subject of an offense, includes not only natural persons but also every other owner of property. See Ohio Code 1.02
  • Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
  • Bail: Security given for the release of a criminal defendant or witness from legal custody (usually in the form of money) to secure his/her appearance on the day and time appointed.
  • Drug abuse offense: means any of the following:

    (1) A violation of division (A) of section 2913. See Ohio Code 2925.01

  • Felony drug abuse offense: means any drug abuse offense that would constitute a felony under the laws of this state, any other state, or the United States. See Ohio Code 2925.01
  • First degree felony mandatory prison term: means one of the definite prison terms prescribed in division (A)(1)(b) of section 2929. See Ohio Code 2925.01
  • Juvenile: means a person under eighteen years of age. See Ohio Code 2925.01
  • Person: includes an individual, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, and association. See Ohio Code 1.59
  • possession: means having control over a thing or substance, but may not be inferred solely from mere access to the thing or substance through ownership or occupation of the premises upon which the thing or substance is found. See Ohio Code 2925.01
  • Professionally licensed person: means any of the following:

    (1) A person who has received a certificate or temporary certificate as a certified public accountant or who has registered as a public accountant under Chapter 4701 of the Revised Code and who holds an Ohio permit issued under that chapter;

    (2) A person who holds a certificate of qualification to practice architecture issued or renewed and registered under Chapter 4703 of the Revised Code;

    (3) A person who is registered as a landscape architect under Chapter 4703 of the Revised Code or who holds a permit as a landscape architect issued under that chapter;

    (4) A person licensed under Chapter 4707 of the Revised Code;

    (5) A person who has been issued a certificate of registration as a registered barber under Chapter 4709 of the Revised Code;

    (6) A person licensed and regulated to engage in the business of a debt pooling company by a legislative authority, under authority of Chapter 4710 of the Revised Code;

    (7) A person who has been issued a cosmetologist's license, hair designer's license, manicurist's license, esthetician's license, natural hair stylist's license, advanced cosmetologist's license, advanced hair designer's license, advanced manicurist's license, advanced esthetician's license, advanced natural hair stylist's license, cosmetology instructor's license, hair design instructor's license, manicurist instructor's license, esthetics instructor's license, natural hair style instructor's license, independent contractor's license, or tanning facility permit under Chapter 4713 of the Revised Code;

    (8) A person who has been issued a license to practice dentistry, a general anesthesia permit, a conscious sedation permit, a limited resident's license, a limited teaching license, a dental hygienist's license, or a dental hygienist's teacher's certificate under Chapter 4715 of the Revised Code;

    (9) A person who has been issued an embalmer's license, a funeral director's license, a funeral home license, or a crematory license, or who has been registered for an embalmer's or funeral director's apprenticeship under Chapter 4717 of the Revised Code;

    (10) A person who has been licensed as a registered nurse or practical nurse, or who has been issued a certificate for the practice of nurse-midwifery under Chapter 4723 of the Revised Code;

    (11) A person who has been licensed to practice optometry or to engage in optical dispensing under Chapter 4725 of the Revised Code;

    (12) A person licensed to act as a pawnbroker under Chapter 4727 of the Revised Code;

    (13) A person licensed to act as a precious metals dealer under Chapter 4728 of the Revised Code;

    (14) A person licensed under Chapter 4729 of the Revised Code as a pharmacist or pharmacy intern or registered under that chapter as a registered pharmacy technician, certified pharmacy technician, or pharmacy technician trainee;

    (15) A person licensed under Chapter 4729 of the Revised Code as a manufacturer of dangerous drugs, outsourcing facility, third-party logistics provider, repackager of dangerous drugs, wholesale distributor of dangerous drugs, or terminal distributor of dangerous drugs;

    (16) A person who is authorized to practice as a physician assistant under Chapter 4730 of the Revised Code;

    (17) A person who has been issued a license to practice medicine and surgery, osteopathic medicine and surgery, or podiatric medicine and surgery under Chapter 4731 of the Revised Code or has been issued a certificate to practice a limited branch of medicine under that chapter;

    (18) A person licensed as a psychologist, independent school psychologist, or school psychologist under Chapter 4732 of the Revised Code;

    (19) A person registered to practice the profession of engineering or surveying under Chapter 4733 of the Revised Code;

    (20) A person who has been issued a license to practice chiropractic under Chapter 4734 of the Revised Code;

    (21) A person licensed to act as a real estate broker or real estate salesperson under Chapter 4735 of the Revised Code;

    (22) A person registered as a registered environmental health specialist under Chapter 4736 of the Revised Code;

    (23) A person licensed to operate or maintain a junkyard under Chapter 4737 of the Revised Code;

    (24) A person who has been issued a motor vehicle salvage dealer's license under Chapter 4738 of the Revised Code;

    (25) A person who has been licensed to act as a steam engineer under Chapter 4739 of the Revised Code;

    (26) A person who has been issued a license or temporary permit to practice veterinary medicine or any of its branches, or who is registered as a graduate animal technician under Chapter 4741 of the Revised Code;

    (27) A person who has been issued a hearing aid dealer's or fitter's license or trainee permit under Chapter 4747 of the Revised Code;

    (28) A person who has been issued a class A, class B, or class C license or who has been registered as an investigator or security guard employee under Chapter 4749 of the Revised Code;

    (29) A person licensed to practice as a nursing home administrator under Chapter 4751 of the Revised Code;

    (30) A person licensed to practice as a speech-language pathologist or audiologist under Chapter 4753 of the Revised Code;

    (31) A person issued a license as an occupational therapist or physical therapist under Chapter 4755 of the Revised Code;

    (32) A person who is licensed as a licensed professional clinical counselor, licensed professional counselor, social worker, independent social worker, independent marriage and family therapist, or marriage and family therapist, or registered as a social work assistant under Chapter 4757 of the Revised Code;

    (33) A person issued a license to practice dietetics under Chapter 4759 of the Revised Code;

    (34) A person who has been issued a license or limited permit to practice respiratory therapy under Chapter 4761 of the Revised Code;

    (35) A person who has been issued a real estate appraiser certificate under Chapter 4763 of the Revised Code;

    (36) A person who has been issued a home inspector license under Chapter 4764 of the Revised Code;

    (37) A person who has been admitted to the bar by order of the supreme court in compliance with its prescribed and published rules. See Ohio Code 2925.01

  • School: means any school operated by a board of education, any community school established under Chapter 3314 of the Revised Code, or any nonpublic school for which the state board of education prescribes minimum standards under section 3301. See Ohio Code 2925.01
  • Second degree felony mandatory prison term: means one of the definite prison terms prescribed in division (A)(2)(b) of section 2929. See Ohio Code 2925.01
  • state: means the state of Ohio. See Ohio Code 1.59
  • United States: includes all the states. See Ohio Code 1.59
  • Whoever: includes all persons, natural and artificial; partners; principals, agents, and employees; and all officials, public or private. See Ohio Code 1.02

(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 a person with drug dependency;

(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 a person with drug dependency;

(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 a second degree felony mandatory prison term.

(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 a first degree felony mandatory prison term.

(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 a second degree felony mandatory prison term.

(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 a first degree felony mandatory prison term.

(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 a second degree felony mandatory prison term.

(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 may suspend for not more than five years the offender’s driver’s or commercial driver’s license or permit. However, if the offender pleaded guilty to or was convicted of a violation of section 4511.19 of the Revised Code or a substantially similar municipal ordinance or the law of another state or the United States arising out of the same set of circumstances as the violation, the court shall suspend the offender’s driver’s or commercial driver’s license or permit for not more than five years. The court also 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) 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 division (A) of 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.

(F)(1) If the sentencing court suspends the offender’s driver’s or commercial driver’s license or permit under division (D) of this section, 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 determination, the court may terminate the suspension.

(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 (F)(2) of this section, the sentencing court, in its discretion, may terminate the suspension.

Last updated January 25, 2023 at 11:13 AM