Mass. Gen. Laws » Part I Title XV Chapter 94C
Massachusetts General Laws

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 94C, § 33 (2026)

Unlawful use of registration numbers in manufacture or distribution, or fraudulently obtaining possession, of controlled substances; criminal penalties

✓ current as of July 2026
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Section 33. (a) No person shall knowingly or intentionally use in the course of the manufacture or distribution of a controlled substance a registration number which is fictitious, revoked, suspended, or issued to another person.

(b) No person shall utter a false prescription for a controlled substance, nor knowingly or intentionally acquire or obtain possession of a controlled substance by means of forgery, fraud, deception or subterfuge, including but not limited to the forgery or falsification of a prescription or the nondisclosure of a material fact in order to obtain a controlled substance from a practitioner.

(c) Whoever violates any provision of this section shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than four years or in a house of correction for not more than two and one half years or by a fine of not more than twenty thousand dollars, or by both such fine and imprisonment. Whoever violates any provision of this section after one or more prior convictions of a violation of this section, or of a felony under any other provision of this chapter, or under a provision of prior law relative to the sale or manufacture of a narcotic drug or a harmful drug as defined in said earlier law shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than eight years or in a jail or house of correction for not more than two and one half years, or by a fine of not more than thirty thousand dollars or by both such fine and imprisonment.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 4 cases, 1980–2020 · leading case: Commonwealth v. Brown, 925 N.E.2d 845 (Mass. 2010).
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Commonwealth v. Brown, 925 N.E.2d 845 (Mass. 2010). “In addition, the Commonwealth may prosecute the patient for unlawful possession provided the patient possessed the requisite mental state. G. L. c. 94C, § 34. If the physician issued the prescription for a legitimate medical purpose, or believed that he did so because his…”
Commonwealth v. Powers, 404 N.E.2d 1260 (Mass. App. Ct. 1980). “” See G. L. c. 94C, § 33(b). She appeals and claims various errors in the judge’s charge to the jury.”
Commonwealth v. Brown, 904 N.E.2d 452 (Mass. App. Ct. 2009). “The defendant contends that the patients could not have been lawful possessors because G. L. c. 94C, § 33(6), as amended through St.”
Commonwealth v. Stirlacci (Mass. 2020). · cites it 6× “94C, § 19 (a), and twenty counts each of uttering a false prescription, G. L. c. 94C, § 33 (b). The defendants also were indicted on twenty- two charges each of submitting a false health care claim, G.”
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 94C, § 33(6) — 1 case
Commonwealth v. Brown, 904 N.E.2d 452 (Mass. App. Ct. 2009). “The defendant contends that the patients could not have been lawful possessors because G. L. c. 94C, § 33(6), as amended through St.”
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 94C, § 33(b) — 1 case
Commonwealth v. Powers, 404 N.E.2d 1260 (Mass. App. Ct. 1980). “” See G. L. c. 94C, § 33(b). She appeals and claims various errors in the judge’s charge to the jury.”
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