NRS Chapter 453: Nevada Controlled Substance Laws

NRS Chapter 453 contains Nevada’s Uniform Controlled Substances Act and the state’s drug paraphernalia provisions. If you are reading a citation, complaint or indictment, start with the statute number beside each count.

Possession, possession for sale, transportation and trafficking describe different allegations, even when they arise from the same search or seizure.

Find the Nevada Drug Statute on Your Paperwork

• Unlawful possession: NRS 453.336 addresses possession for personal use or another purpose other than sale. NRS 453.3363 allows the court to suspend proceedings in certain cases, and NRS 453.3365 provides specific routes to record sealing. See Nevada drug possession charges.
• Possession for sale: NRS 453.337 covers Schedule I and II substances and specifically names flunitrazepam and GHB. NRS 453.338 covers Schedule III, IV and V substances. The allegation concerns the purpose for which the substance was held. See Nevada possession with intent to sell charges.
• Trafficking: NRS 453.3385, NRS 453.3387 and NRS 453.339 cover different substances and weight ranges, including specific provisions for fentanyl and cannabis. NRS 453.3383 addresses the weight claimed in a sale or delivery when it exceeds the actual weight. NRS 453.3405 covers sentencing, parole and limited grounds for reducing or suspending a sentence. See Nevada drug trafficking charges.
• Conspiracy: NRS 453.401 addresses agreements to violate the Act or, in certain cases, defraud the state in its enforcement. The statute generally requires that at least one conspirator take a step to carry out the agreement. See Nevada drug conspiracy charges.
• Paraphernalia use or possession: NRS 453.566 covers using an item, or possessing it with intent to use it, in connection with unlawful controlled-substance activity. See Nevada paraphernalia possession charges. Separate provisions govern sale, delivery and advertising.

Transportation, Manufacturing and Other Drug Offenses

The guide to other Nevada drug offenses groups related sections on one page:

• Transportation, sale and supply under NRS 453.321
• Manufacturing and imitation drugs under NRS 453.322, 453.324 and 453.332
• Maintaining drug premises under NRS 453.316 and 453.326
• Unlawful use and prescription offenses under NRS 453.411 and 453.391
• Paraphernalia sale, delivery and advertising under NRS 453.560 through 453.564
• Provisions involving minors, protected locations or death

Where to Check Drug Schedules and Cannabis Rules

Nevada assigns controlled substances to five schedules. NAC Chapter 453 lists the substances in each schedule. The schedule matters for several offenses, while some sections separately name particular drugs or apply their own weight thresholds.

For cannabis, read Chapter 453 alongside NRS Chapter 678D for adult use or the medical-use protections in NRS Chapter 678C. Chapter 453 still includes cannabis trafficking and unauthorized production, processing or extraction under NRS 453.3393. See the guides to Nevada cannabis charges and cannabis cultivation for the circumstances that can lead to charges.

Federal charges follow a separate set of statutes. See federal drug charges if the paperwork cites Title 21 of the U.S. Code. Browse the Nevada Revised Statutes directory for other Nevada chapters.