# 21 U.S.C. § 802: Definitions

> Federal · Statutes · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/usc_t21_s802

## Section

- **Citation:** 21 U.S.C. § 802
- **Heading:** Definitions
- **Jurisdiction:** Federal
- **Kind:** Statutes
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** April 17, 2026
- **Source:** Publisher's official text
- **Location:** Title 21—FOOD AND DRUGS > CHAPTER 13—DRUG ABUSE PREVENTION AND CONTROL > SUBCHAPTER I—CONTROL AND ENFORCEMENT > Part A—Introductory Provisions

## Text

The term “addict” means any individual who habitually uses any narcotic drug so as to endanger the public morals, health, safety, or welfare, or who is so far addicted to the use of narcotic drugs as to have lost the power of self-control with reference to his addiction.

( Pub. L. 91–513, title II, § 102 , Oct. 27, 1970 , 84 Stat. 1242 ; Pub. L. 93–281, § 2 , May 14, 1974 , 88 Stat. 124 ; Pub. L. 95–633, title I, § 102(b) , Nov. 10, 1978 , 92 Stat. 3772 ; Pub. L. 96–132, § 16(a) , Nov. 30, 1979 , 93 Stat. 1049 ; Pub. L. 98–473, title II, § 507(a) , (b), Oct. 12, 1984 , 98 Stat. 2071 ; Pub. L. 98–509, title III, § 301(a) , Oct. 19, 1984 , 98 Stat. 2364 ; Pub. L. 99–514, § 2 , Oct. 22, 1986 , 100 Stat. 2095 ; Pub. L. 99–570, title I , §§ 1003(b), 1203, 1870, Oct. 27, 1986 , 100 Stat. 3207–6 , 3207–13, 3207–56; Pub. L. 99–646, § 83 , Nov. 10, 1986 , 100 Stat. 3619 ; Pub. L. 100–690, title VI, § 6054 , Nov. 18, 1988 , 102 Stat. 4316 ; Pub. L. 101–647, title XIX, § 1902(b) , title XXIII, § 2301, title XXXV, § 3599I, Nov. 29, 1990 , 104 Stat. 4852 , 4858, 4932; Pub. L. 103–200 , §§ 2(a), 7–9(a), Dec. 17, 1993 , 107 Stat. 2333 , 2340; Pub. L. 103–322, title IX, § 90105(d) , title XXXIII, § 330024(a), (b), (d)(1), Sept. 13, 1994 , 108 Stat. 1988 , 2150; Pub. L. 104–237, title II , §§ 204(a), 209, title IV, § 401(a), (b), Oct. 3, 1996 , 110 Stat. 3102 , 3104, 3106, 3107; Pub. L. 104–294, title VI , §§ 604(b)(4), 607(j), Oct. 11, 1996 , 110 Stat. 3506 , 3512; Pub. L. 105–115, title I, § 126(c)(3) , Nov. 21, 1997 , 111 Stat. 2328 ; Pub. L. 106–172 , §§ 3(c), 5(a), Feb. 18, 2000 , 114 Stat. 9 , 10; Pub. L. 106–310, div. B, title XXXVI, § 3622(a) , Oct. 17, 2000 , 114 Stat. 1231 ; Pub. L. 107–273, div. B, title IV, § 4002(c)(1) , Nov. 2, 2002 , 116 Stat. 1808 ; Pub. L. 108–358, § 2(a) , Oct. 22, 2004 , 118 Stat. 1661 ; Pub. L. 109–162, title XI, § 1180 , Jan. 5, 2006 , 119 Stat. 3126 ; Pub. L. 109–177, title VII , §§ 711(a)(1), (2)(A), 712(a)(1), Mar. 9, 2006 , 120 Stat. 256 , 257, 263; Pub. L. 110–425, § 3(a) , Oct. 15, 2008 , 122 Stat. 4821 ; Pub. L. 113–260, § 2(a) , Dec. 18, 2014 , 128 Stat. 2929 ; Pub. L. 114–198, title III, § 303(a)(2) , July 22, 2016 , 130 Stat. 722 ; Pub. L. 115–271, title III , §§ 3202(c), 3292(a), Oct. 24, 2018 , 132 Stat. 3945 , 3956; Pub. L. 115–334, title XII, § 12619(a) , Dec. 20, 2018 , 132 Stat. 5018 ; Pub. L. 115–391, title IV, § 401(a)(1) , Dec. 21, 2018 , 132 Stat. 5220 ; Pub. L. 117–215, § 2(b) , title I, § 103(b)(1)(A), Dec. 2, 2022 , 136 Stat. 2258 , 2262; Pub. L. 118–189, § 1 , Dec. 23, 2024 , 138 Stat. 2652 ; Pub. L. 119–26, § 6(c) , July 16, 2025 , 139 Stat. 417 .)

## Nearby sections

- [21 U.S.C. § 801 Congressional findings and declarations: controlled substances](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/usc_t21_s801.md)
- [21 U.S.C. § 801a Congressional findings and declarations: psychotropic substances](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/usc_t21_s801a.md)
- [21 U.S.C. § 802 Definitions](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/usc_t21_s802.md)
- [21 U.S.C. § 803 Repealed. Pub. L. 95–137, § 1(b) , Oct. 18, 1977 , 91 Stat. 1169](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/usc_t21_s803.md)
- [21 U.S.C. § 811 Authority and criteria for classification of substances](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/usc_t21_s811.md)
- [21 U.S.C. § 812 Schedules of controlled substances](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/usc_t21_s812.md)
- [21 U.S.C. § 813 Treatment of controlled substance analogues](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/usc_t21_s813.md)
- [21 U.S.C. § 814 Removal of exemption of certain drugs](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/usc_t21_s814.md)
- [21 U.S.C. § 821 Rules and regulations](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/usc_t21_s821.md)
- [21 U.S.C. § 822 Persons required to register](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/usc_t21_s822.md)
- [21 U.S.C. § 822a Prescription drug take back expansion](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/usc_t21_s822a.md)
- [21 U.S.C. § 823 Registration requirements](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/usc_t21_s823.md)
- [21 U.S.C. § 824 Denial, revocation, or suspension of registration](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/usc_t21_s824.md)
- [21 U.S.C. § 825 Labeling and packaging](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/usc_t21_s825.md)

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/usc_t21_s802. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.