47Sale and supply of narcotic substances, prohibited plants, and prohibited substances

### 47 Sale and supply of narcotic substances, prohibited plants, and prohibited substances > > (1)  [*\[Section 47 Subsection (1) amended by No. 55 of 2009, s. 5, Applied:12 Nov 2009\]*](/view/html/inforce/2009-11-12/act-2009-055#GS5@EN) *\[Section 47 Subsection (1) substituted by No. 27 of 1984, s. 20 \]**\[Section 47 Subsection (1) amended by No. 9 of 1986, s. 5 \]*Subject to [section 47A](#GS47A@EN) , a person shall not– > > > > > > (a) sell or supply a raw narcotic or narcotic substance to another person; or > > > > > > > (b) traffic in a raw narcotic or narcotic substance– > > > > > > unless– > > > > > > > (c) [*\[Section 47 Subsection (1) amended by No. 15 of 2017, s. 19, Applied:13 Jun 2017\]*](/view/html/inforce/2017-06-13/act-2017-015#GS19@Hpa@EN) [*\[Section 47 Subsection (1) amended by No. 23 of 2022, s. 35, Applied:24 Oct 2022\]*](/view/html/inforce/2022-10-24/act-2022-023#GS35@Hpa@EN) the person is, or is acting as the employee of and under the direction of, a licensed manufacturing chemist, licensed wholesale chemist, pharmacist, medical practitioner, dentist, authorised health professional or veterinary surgeon engaged in the lawful practice of his business or profession as such; > > > > > > > (d) [*\[Section 47 Subsection (1) amended by No. 3 of 2010, Sched. 1, Applied:01 Jul 2010\]*](/view/html/inforce/2010-07-01/act-2010-003#JS1@Ja53@GC7@Hpa@EN) [*\[Section 47 Subsection (1) amended by No. 23 of 2022, s. 35, Applied:24 Oct 2022\]*](/view/html/inforce/2022-10-24/act-2022-023#GS35@Hpb@EN) the person is a registered nurse or midwife acting in accordance with an authorisation conferred under [section 25A](#GS25A@EN) ; > > > > > > > (daa) [*\[Section 47 Subsection (1) amended by No. 78 of 2007, s. 10, Applied:01 Jul 2008\]*](/view/html/inforce/2008-07-01/act-2007-078#GS10@Hpa@EN) the person is an authorised nurse practitioner acting in accordance with an authorisation conferred on him or her under [section 25B](#GS25B@EN) ; > > > > > > > (da) [*\[Section 47 Subsection (1) amended by No. 3 of 2010, Sched. 1, Applied:01 Jul 2010\]*](/view/html/inforce/2010-07-01/act-2010-003#JS1@Ja53@GC7@Hpb@EN) the person is a registered nurse or midwife administering a narcotic substance in the course of medical treatment on the direction in writing of a medical practitioner; > > > > > > > (db) [*\[Section 47 Subsection (1) amended by No. 78 of 2007, s. 10, Applied:01 Jul 2008\]*](/view/html/inforce/2008-07-01/act-2007-078#GS10@Hpb@EN) [*\[Section 47 Subsection (1) amended by No. 15 of 2017, s. 19, Applied:13 Jun 2017\]*](/view/html/inforce/2017-06-13/act-2017-015#GS19@Hpb@EN) the person is the parent or guardian of a person who, because of age or mental or physical disability, whether permanent or temporary, is incapable of caring for himself to whom a narcotic substance is being administered on the direction in writing of a medical practitioner, dentist, authorised health professional or authorised nurse practitioner; > > > > > > > (dc) [*\[Section 47 Subsection (1) amended by No. 16 of 1997, Sched. 1, Applied:30 Jul 1997\]*](/view/html/inforce/1997-07-30/act-1997-016#JS1@Ja11@GC2@EN) the person is the master of a boat administering a narcotic substance to a passenger or crew member on the boat where the substance is required to be carried on a boat of that class by regulations or by-laws made under the [Marine and Safety Authority Act 1997](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-1997-015) for the purposes of medical treatment; > > > > > > > (dd) [*\[Section 47 Subsection (1) amended by No. 73 of 2013, Sched. 1, Applied:01 Jul 2014\]*](/view/html/inforce/2014-07-01/act-2013-073#JS1@Ja7@GC5@Hpa@EN) the person is an ambulance officer or paramedic administering a narcotic substance– > > > > > > > > > > (i) at the direction of a medical practitioner; or > > > > > > > > > > > (ii) [*\[Section 47 Subsection (1) amended by No. 73 of 2013, Sched. 1, Applied:01 Jul 2014\]*](/view/html/inforce/2014-07-01/act-2013-073#JS1@Ja7@GC5@Hpb@EN) in accordance with the Field Protocols applying with respect to the administration of scheduled substances as approved by the Commissioner of Ambulance Services from time to time; or > > > > > > > (e) [*\[Section 47 Subsection (1) amended by No. 23 of 2022, s. 35, Applied:24 Oct 2022\]*](/view/html/inforce/2022-10-24/act-2022-023#GS35@Hpc@EN) the person is acting in accordance with an authorisation conferred by the regulations. > > > (2)  Nothing in [subsection (1)](#GS47@Gs1@EN) applies to or in relation to a raw narcotic or narcotic substance that is a prohibited plant or prohibited substance. > > > (3)  *\[Section 47 Subsection (3) amended by No. 27 of 1984, s. 48 and Sched. 1 \]*A person shall not – > > > > > > (a) sell or supply a prohibited plant or prohibited substance to another person; or > > > > > > > (b) traffic in such a plant or substance. > > > (4)  Nothing in [subsection (3)](#GS47@Gs3@EN) applies to or in relation to – > > > > > > (a) [*\[Section 47 Subsection (4) amended by No. 40 of 2016, s. 12, Applied:17 Oct 2016\]*](/view/html/inforce/2016-10-17/act-2016-040#GS12@Hpa@EN) the sale or supply of a prohibited plant to a licensed manufacturing chemist by a person who is the holder of a poppy research licence or a poppy grower's licence; or > > > > > > > (ba) [*\[Section 47 Subsection (4) amended by No. 40 of 2016, s. 12, Applied:17 Oct 2016\]*](/view/html/inforce/2016-10-17/act-2016-040#GS12@Hpb@EN) the sale or supply of the seed of an alkaloid poppy; or > > > > > > > (b) the sale or supply of a prohibited plant by a licensed manufacturing chemist to another licensed manufacturing chemist. > > > (5)  *\[Section 47 Subsection (5) amended by No. 27 of 1984, s. 20 \]*A person who contravenes [subsection (1)](#GS47@Gs1@EN) or [(3)](#GS47@Gs3@EN) is guilty of a crime and is liable to punishment on indictment under the [Criminal Code](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-1924-069) accordingly. > > > (6)  *\[Section 47 Subsection (6) omitted by No. 27 of 1984, s. 20 \]*.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .   > > > (7)  *\[Section 47 Subsection (7) amended by No. 27 of 1984, s. 20 \]*[*\[Section 47 Subsection (7) omitted by No. 95 of 2001, Sched. 1, Applied:01 Jun 2002\]*](/view/html/inforce/2002-06-01/act-2001-095#JS1@Ja1@GC3@EN) .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .   > > > (8)  On an indictment under [subsection (1)](#GS47@Gs1@EN) , the accused person may be convicted of an offence under [section 48](#GS48@EN) and punished as provided by that section. > > > (9)  On an indictment under [subsection (3)](#GS47@Gs3@EN) , the accused person may be convicted of an offence under [section 49](#GS49@EN) or [section 55](#GS55@EN) and punished as provided in the relevant section. > > > (10)  [*\[Section 47 Subsection (10) amended by No. 23 of 2022, s. 35, Applied:24 Oct 2022\]*](/view/html/inforce/2022-10-24/act-2022-023#GS35@Hpd@EN) *\[Section 47 Subsection (10) substituted by No. 27 of 1984, s. 20 \]*Nothing in this section prohibits the supply of a raw narcotic, narcotic substance, prohibited plant, or prohibited substance by a person who is authorised by or under this Act to be in possession of and to supply that raw narcotic, narcotic substance, prohibited plant, or prohibited substance, if– > > > > > > (a) [*\[Section 47 Subsection (10) amended by No. 78 of 2007, s. 10, Applied:01 Jul 2008\]*](/view/html/inforce/2008-07-01/act-2007-078#GS10@Hpc@EN) [*\[Section 47 Subsection (10) amended by No. 13 of 2019, Sched. 1, Applied:18 Jun 2019\]*](/view/html/inforce/2019-06-18/act-2019-013#JS1@Ja6@GC1@EN) [*\[Section 47 Subsection (10) amended by No. 23 of 2022, s. 35, Applied:24 Oct 2022\]*](/view/html/inforce/2022-10-24/act-2022-023#GS35@Hpe@EN) that supply is in the circumstances and subject to the conditions specified in the authorisation granted to that person under [section 25A](#GS25A@EN) , [25B](#GS25B@EN) , [25C](#GS25C@EN) , [25D](#GS25D@EN) or [25E](#GS25E@EN) ; > > > > > > > (b) [*\[Section 47 Subsection (10) amended by No. 23 of 2022, s. 35, Applied:24 Oct 2022\]*](/view/html/inforce/2022-10-24/act-2022-023#GS35@Hpf@EN) that supply is in the circumstances and subject to the conditions prescribed in the regulations under which authorisation is granted to that person to supply that raw narcotic, narcotic substance, prohibited plant, or prohibited substance; or > > > > > > > (c) [*\[Section 47 Subsection (10) amended by No. 23 of 2022, s. 35, Applied:24 Oct 2022\]*](/view/html/inforce/2022-10-24/act-2022-023#GS35@Hpg@EN) that supply is in the ordinary course of business, or the ordinary practice of the profession, of a person who is authorised to supply that raw narcotic, narcotic substance, prohibited plant, or prohibited substance. > > > (11)  [*\[Section 47 Subsection (11) inserted by No. 21 of 2021, s. 8, Applied:17 Dec 2021\]*](/view/html/inforce/2021-12-17/act-2021-021#GS8@EN) Nothing in this section prohibits a person from selling or supplying a substance to which this section applies if the person is authorised to do so under an emergency order and the person is acting in accordance with the emergency order.