House Bill 679

AN ACT TO CREATE THE "MISSISSIPPI PILL PRESS ACT OF 2022"; TO PROHIBIT ANY PERSON FROM UNAUTHORIZED POSSESSION AND TRANSFER OF PILL PRESSES AND SIMILAR DEVICES; TO REQUIRE THAT ALL PILL PRESSES OR SIMILAR DEVICES THAT MAY BE USED TO MANUFACTURE A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE OR COUNTERFEIT CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE BE REGISTERED WITH THE STATE BOARD OF PHARMACY; TO PROVIDE PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS OF THIS ACT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. This act shall be known and referred to as the "Mississippi Pill Press Act of 2022."

SECTION 2. (1) Except as authorized by this article, it is unlawful for any person knowingly or intentionally, unless authorized by the State Board of Pharmacy, or other lawful authority:

(a) To sell, barter, transfer, manufacture, distribute or possess a pill press, tableting machine, encapsulating machine, or gelatin capsule, or any equipment, which may be used to manufacture a controlled substance, knowing, intending, or having reasonable cause to believe, that it will be used to manufacture a controlled substance or counterfeit controlled substance.

(b) To create, sell, barter, transfer, distribute or possess with intent to create, sell, barter, transfer, distribute or dispense, a pill press, tableting machine, encapsulating machine, or gelatin capsule, or any equipment, which may be used to manufacture a controlled substance, knowing, intending, or having reasonable cause to believe, that it will be used to manufacture a controlled substance or counterfeit controlled substance.

(2) All pill presses, tableting machines, encapsulating machines or similar equipment which may be used to manufacture a controlled substance or counterfeit controlled substance shall be registered with the State Board of Pharmacy.

(3) Any person who violates this act shall, upon conviction, be imprisoned for not more than five (5) years, or fined not more than Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), or both.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2022.