Colorado statute
C.R.S. § 18-18-403.5 — Unlawful possession of a controlled substance - notice to revisor of statutes - repeal.
Current through 2025 Regular Session
Part of Part 4: OFFENSES AND PENALTIES, Colorado Revised Statutes.
Criminal charges under this statute
Full text of C.R.S. § 18-18-403.5
Statutory text current through the 2025 Regular Session. This is an officially sanctioned publication using the official text of the Colorado Revised Statutes; it is not the official statutes of the State of Colorado.
(1) Except as authorized by part 1 or 3 of article 280 of title 12, part 2 of article 80 of title 27, section 18-1-711, section 18-18-428 (1)(b), part 2 or 3 of this article 18, section 18-18-434, article 170 of title 12, or article 50 of title 44, it is unlawful for a person knowingly to possess a controlled substance. (2) On or after March 1, 2020, a person who violates subsection (1) of this section by possessing: (a) Any material, compound, mixture, or preparation that contains any quantity of flunitrazepam; ketamine; gamma hydroxybutyrate, including its salts, isomers, and salts of isomers; cathinones; or more than four grams of a controlled substance listed in schedule I or II of part 2 of this article 18 commits a level 4 drug felony. (b) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2013.) (c) Any material, compound, mixture, or preparation that contains not more than four grams of a controlled substance listed in schedule I or II of part 2 of this article 18 or any quantity of a controlled substance listed in schedule III, IV, or V of part 2 of this article 18 except flunitrazepam, gamma hydroxybutyrate, or ketamine commits a level 1 drug misdemeanor; except that a fourth or subsequent offense for a violation of this subsection (2)(c) is a level 4 drug felony. (2.5) (a) Notwithstanding subsection (2)(c) of this section, on or after July 1, 2022, a person who violates subsection (1) of this section by knowingly possessing: (I) Any material, compound, mixture, or preparation that weighs more than one gram and not more than four grams and contains any quantity of fentanyl, carfentanil, benzimidazole opiate, or an analog thereof as described in section 18-18-204 (2)(g), commits a level 4 drug felony; (II) Any material, compound, mixture, or preparation that weighs not more than one gram and contains any quantity of fentanyl, carfentanil, benzimidazole opiate, or an analog thereof as described in section 18-18-204 (2)(g), commits a level 1 drug misdemeanor; except that a fourth or subsequent offense for a violation of this subsection (2.5)(a)(II) is a level 4 drug felony. (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 18-18-403.5 (2.5)(a)(I) of this section, when a defendant shows supporting evidence to establish that he or she made a reasonable mistake of fact and did not know that the controlled substance he or she possessed contained fentanyl, carfentanil, benzimidazole opiate, or an analog thereof as described in section 18-18-204 (2)(g), the matter shall be submitted to the finder of fact in the form of an interrogatory included in the verdict form. Should the finder of fact determine the defendant made such a reasonable mistake of fact, the defendant commits a level 1 drug misdemeanor. (2.7) (a) A person who violates subsection (1) of this section by possessing any material, compound, mixture, or preparation that contains a quantity of fentanyl, carfentanil, benzimidazole opiate, or an analog thereof as described in section 18-18-204 (2)(g), that is more than sixty percent of the total composition of the material, compound, mixture, or preparation, commits a level 2 drug felony. (b) (I) This subsection (2.7) takes effect at 12:01 a.m. thirty days after the date identified in the notice provided to the revisor of statutes by the director of the Colorado bureau of investigation that the Colorado bureau of investigation has the resources to determine the quantity of fentanyl, carfentanil, benzimidazole opiate, or an analog thereof as described in section 18-18-204 (2)(g), compared to the total composition of the material, compound, mixture, or preparation, or on the date of the notice to the revisor of statutes if the notice does not specify a different date. (II) The director of the Colorado bureau of investigation shall notify the revisor of statutes in writing when the condition specified in subsection (2.7)(b)(I) of this section has occurred by e-mailing the notice to revisorofstatutes.ga@coleg.gov. (III) Concurrent with the notice required in subsection (2.7)(b)(II) of this section, the director of the Colorado bureau of investigation shall notify the speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, the chief justice of the supreme court, the governor, the attorney general, the state public defender, and each district attorney in the state, that the Colorado bureau of investigation has the resources to determine the quantity of fentanyl, carfentanil, benzimidazole opiate, or an analog thereof as described in section 18-18-204 (2)(g), compared to the total composition of the material, compound, mixture, or preparation. (IV) This subsection (2.7)(b) is repealed, effective one year after notice to the revisor of statutes pursuant to subsection (2.7)(b)(II) of this section. (3) If the circumstances described in section 18-18-428 (1)(b) occur, the peace officer shall not arrest the person pursuant to this section for any minuscule, residual controlled substance that may be present in the used hypodermic needle or syringe, and the district attorney shall not charge or prosecute the person pursuant to this section for any minuscule, residual controlled substance that may be present in a used hypodermic needle or syringe. The circumstances described in section 18-18-428 (1)(b) may be used as a factor in a probable cause or reasonable suspicion determination of any criminal offense if the original stop or search was lawful. (4) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (2) of this section, on or after March 1, 2020, a district attorney shall not charge or prosecute a person pursuant to this section for any minuscule, residual, or unusable amount of a controlled substance that may be present in a used hypodermic needle or syringe, or other drug paraphernalia, as defined in section 18-18-426. The circumstances described in this subsection (4) may be used as a factor in a probable cause or reasonable suspicion determination of any criminal offense if the original stop or search was lawful. (5) Notwithstanding any provision of this section, a person may be charged with any other offense in this article 18, including unlawful distribution, manufacturing, dispensing, or sale of a controlled substance, or possession with intent to do the same, pursuant to section 18-18-405, when there is evidence for the person to be so charged. Such evidence may include, but is not limited to, the amount of the controlled substance that the person possesses. (6) Notwithstanding subsection (2) of this section to the contrary, a peace officer shall not arrest and a district attorney shall not charge or prosecute an employee, agent, or volunteer of an eligible entity described in section 25-1.5-115.1 (1) who, in the performance of the person's duties, is in possession of a controlled substance, including fentanyl, carfentanil, benzimidazole opiate, or an analog thereof as described in section 18-18-204 (2)(g), for the purpose of safe disposal of the controlled substance, including fentanyl, carfentanil, benzimidazole opiate, or an analog thereof as described in section 18-18-204 (2)(g), in accordance with applicable law. As used in this subsection (6), "safe disposal" means the procedure and process for depositing the controlled substance, including fentanyl, carfentanil, benzimidazole opiate, or an analog thereof as described in section 18-18-204 (2)(g), in a secure container for law enforcement to subsequently access and dispose of.
Official sources
Legal terms used in this section
Questions this section answers
Is unlawful possession of a controlled substance a felony or a misdemeanor in Colorado?
It depends on the circumstances: unlawful possession of a controlled substance ranges from a level 1 drug misdemeanor to a level 2 drug felony in Colorado under C.R.S. § 18-18-403.5.
Possession of schedule I/II (>4g), flunitrazepam, ketamine, GHB, or cathinones: level 4 drug felony (C.R.S. § 18-18-403.5(2)(a)) · Possession of schedule I/II (≤4g) or schedule III/IV/V (excluding flunitrazepam, GHB, ketamine): level 1 drug misdemeanor (C.R.S. § 18-18-403.5(2)(c)) · Fourth or subsequent offense under (2)(c): level 4 drug felony (C.R.S. § 18-18-403.5(2)(c)) · Possession of fentanyl/carfentanil/benzimidazole opiate analog (1-4 grams): level 4 drug felony (C.R.S. § 18-18-403.5(2.5)(a)(I)) · Possession of fentanyl/carfentanil/benzimidazole opiate analog (≤1 gram): level 1 drug misdemeanor (C.R.S. § 18-18-403.5(2.5)(a)(II)) · Fourth or subsequent offense under (2.5)(a)(II): level 4 drug felony (C.R.S. § 18-18-403.5(2.5)(a)(II)) · Reasonable mistake of fact as to fentanyl content: level 1 drug misdemeanor (C.R.S. § 18-18-403.5(2.5)(b)) · Possession of high-concentration fentanyl/carfentanil/benzimidazole opiate mixture (>60% composition): level 2 drug felony (C.R.S. § 18-18-403.5(2.7)(a))
Which Colorado statute covers unlawful possession of a controlled substance?
Unlawful possession of a controlled substance is governed by C.R.S. § 18-18-403.5 (Unlawful possession of a controlled substance - notice to revisor of statutes - repeal).
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.