21-5706. Unlawful possession of controlled substances.
653 words·~3 min read·
/ks/chapter-21/21-5706A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
21-5706. Unlawful possession of controlled substances.
(a)It shall be unlawful for any person to possess any opiates, opium or narcotic drugs, or any stimulant designated in K.S.A. 65-4107 (d)(1), (d)(3) or (f)(1), and amendments thereto, or a controlled substance analog thereof.
(b)It shall be unlawful for any person to possess any of the following controlled substances or controlled substance analogs thereof:
(1)Any depressant designated in K.S.A. 65-4105 (e), 65-4107 (e), 65-4109
(b)or
(c)or 65-4111 (b), and amendments thereto;
(2)any stimulant designated in K.S.A. 65-4105 (f), 65-4107 (d)(2), (d)(4), (d)(5) or (f)(2) or 65-4109 (e), and amendments thereto;
(3)any hallucinogenic drug designated in K.S.A. 65-4105 (d), 65-4107
(g)or 65-4109 (g), and amendments thereto;
(4)any substance designated in K.S.A. 65-4105
(g)and 65-4111 (c), (d), (e),
(f)or (g), and amendments thereto;
(5)any anabolic steroids as defined in K.S.A. 65-4109 (f), and amendments thereto;
(6)any substance designated in K.S.A. 65-4113 , and amendments thereto; or
(7)any substance designated in K.S.A. 65-4105 (h), and amendments thereto.
(1)Violation of subsection
(a)is a drug severity level 5 felony.
(2)Except as provided in subsection (c)(3):
(A)Violation of subsection
(b)is a class A nonperson misdemeanor, except as provided in subparagraph (B); and
(B)violation of subsection (b)(1) through (b)(5) or (b)(7) is a drug severity level 5 felony if that person has a prior conviction under such subsection, under K.S.A. 65-4162 , prior to its repeal, under a substantially similar offense from another jurisdiction, or under any city ordinance or county resolution for a substantially similar offense if the substance involved was 3, 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), marijuana as designated in K.S.A. 65-4105 (d), and amendments thereto, or any substance designated in K.S.A. 65-4105 (h), and amendments thereto, or an analog thereof.
(3)If the substance involved is marijuana, as designated in K.S.A. 65-4105 (d), and amendments thereto, or tetrahydrocannabinols, as designated in K.S.A. 65-4105 (h), and amendments thereto, violation of subsection
(b)is a:
(A)Class B nonperson misdemeanor, except as provided in subparagraphs
(B)and (C);
(B)class A nonperson misdemeanor if that person has a prior conviction under such subsection, under K.S.A. 65-4162 , prior to its repeal, under a substantially similar offense from another jurisdiction, or under any city ordinance or county resolution for a substantially similar offense; and
(C)drug severity level 5 felony if that person has two or more prior convictions under such subsection, under K.S.A. 65-4162 , prior to its repeal, under a substantially similar offense from another jurisdiction, or under any city ordinance or county resolution for a substantially similar offense.
(d)It shall be an affirmative defense to prosecution under this section arising out of a person's possession of any cannabidiol treatment preparation if the person:
(1)Has a debilitating medical condition, as defined in K.S.A. 2025 Supp. 65-6235 , and amendments thereto, or is the parent or guardian of a minor child who has such debilitating medical condition;
(2)is possessing a cannabidiol treatment preparation, as defined in K.S.A. 2025 Supp. 65-6235 , and amendments thereto, that is being used to treat such debilitating medical condition; and
(3)has possession of a letter, at all times while the person has possession of the cannabidiol treatment preparation, that:
(A)Shall be shown to a law enforcement officer on such officer's request;
(B)is dated within the preceding 15 months and signed by the physician licensed to practice medicine and surgery in Kansas who diagnosed the debilitating medical condition;
(C)is on such physician's letterhead; and
(D)identifies the person or the person's minor child as such physician's patient and identifies the patient's debilitating medical condition.
(e)It shall not be a defense to charges arising under this section that the defendant was acting in an agency relationship on behalf of any other party in a transaction involving a controlled substance or controlled substance analog.