Three recent court decisions reframe what constitutes criminal conduct in prescribing controlled substances

Lynn Webster; Olivia Backhaus; Amy Bianco

doi:10.5055/jom.2023.0795

Authors

Lynn Webster, MD https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8609-9424
Olivia Backhaus, JD
Amy Bianco

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5055/jom.2023.0795

Keywords:

Supreme Court, Controlled Substances Act, Drug Enforcement Administration, Department of Justice, mens rea

Abstract

Three recent opinions issued by the United States (US) Supreme Court suggest the possibility of a new interpretation of key drug enforcement provisions in the Controlled Substances Act of 19701 (CSA) affecting prescribers of controlled substances. Applying the Court's holdings in Xiulu Ruan v. US,2 Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization,3 and West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency4 to the Department of Justice's and the Drug Enforcement Administration's overreaching enforcement of the CSA, this paper contends that Congress should amend the CSA and rectify the broad misapplication of the law to the practice of medicine.

Author Biographies

Lynn Webster, MD

Lifetree Medical, Inc., Salt Lake City, Utah

Olivia Backhaus, JD

Associate Attorney, Sequel Health Law, Washington, DC

Amy Bianco

Science Writer and Editor, and Co-producer, The Pain Game, forthcoming documentary series, Santa Fe, New Mexico

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