NRS 453.411

Unlawful use of controlled substance; penalty

Known as the Uniform Controlled Substances Act

The act spans §§ 453–453 (191 sections).

Applied in 8 court decisions — leading case United States v. Slaughter (1989)

Most recently applied in Byars v. State (October 2014)

(Added to NRS by 1971, 2023; A 1973, 1406; 1979, 1475; 1981, 745; 1993, 2236; 1995, 1290, 1723; 1997, 546; 2013, 987; 2019, 4475; 2025, 3730)

How often courts cite this section

citing decisions per year

Court decisions citing this, by year. The dip in the last several years is a data-coverage gap, not a real trend — our corpus holds fewer opinions from the most recent years, so recent citations are undercounted.

1. It is unlawful for a person knowingly to use or be under the influence of a controlled substance except in accordance with a lawfully issued prescription.

2. It is unlawful for a person knowingly to use or be under the influence of a controlled substance except when administered to the person at a rehabilitation clinic established by the Division of Public and Behavioral Health of the Department or licensed by the Health Care Purchasing and Compliance Division of the Nevada Health Authority, or a hospital licensed by the Health Care Purchasing and Compliance Division.

3. Unless a greater penalty is provided in NRS 212.160, a person who violates this section shall be punished for a misdemeanor.

Official source: Nevada Legislature. Reproduced from public-domain Nevada statutes; confirm against the official source for the current text. Not legal advice.