I 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 6896 

To amend the Controlled Substances Act to improve consumer take-back 

programs by allowing persons who are authorized to collect controlled 

substances from ultimate users and other non-registrants for destruction 

through an authorized consumer return program to open and inspect 

packages, to provide a secure method of transporting substances to 

another location of destruction, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 2, 2022 

Ms. FOXX (for herself and Ms. ROSS) introduced the following bill; which was 

referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to 

the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 

as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To amend the Controlled Substances Act to improve consumer take-back programs by allowing persons who are 

authorized to collect controlled substances from ultimate 

users and other non-registrants for destruction through 

an authorized consumer return program to open and 

inspect packages, to provide a secure method of transporting substances to another location of destruction, 

and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Reduce Exposure and 

3 the Threat of Unused Residual Narcotics Act of 2022’’ 

4 or the ‘‘RETURN Act of 2022’’. 

5 SEC. 2. INSPECTION OF PACKAGES OF CONTROLLED SUB6 STANCES RECEIVED THROUGH MAIL-BACK 

7 DISPOSAL PROGRAM. 

8 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 302(g)(2) of the Con9 trolled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 822(g)(2)) is amend10 ed— 

11 (1) by striking ‘‘(2) In developing’’ and insert12 ing ‘‘(2)(A) In developing’’; 

13 (2) by striking ‘‘Such regulations may not’’ and 

14 inserting the following: 

15 ‘‘(B) Such regulations may not’’; and 

16 (3) by adding at the end the following subpara17 graph: 

18 ‘‘(C)(i) Such regulations shall allow persons who are 

19 authorized to collect controlled substances from ultimate 

20 users and other non-registrants for destruction through an 

21 authorized mail-back program under this subsection to 

22 open a package for identification of the contents of the 

23 package for purposes of a consumer incentive program. 

24 ‘‘(ii) For purposes of this subparagraph, the term 

25 ‘consumer incentive program’ means a program providing 

26 ultimate users who return unused controlled substances 


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1 through a person described in clause (i) a financial or 

2 other incentive that is determined based on the contents 

3 of the returned materials.’’. 

4 (b) REGULATIONS.—Not later than 180 days after 

5 the date of enactment of this Act, the Attorney General 

6 of the United States shall finalize such revisions to regula7 tions as may be necessary to carry out section 

8 302(g)(2)(C) of the Controlled Substances Act, as added 

9 by subsection (a), including by revising section 1317.70(f) 

10 of title 21, Code of Federal Regulations. 

11 (c) APPLICABILITY.—Section 302(g)(2)(C) of the 

12 Controlled Substances Act, as added by subsection (a), ap13 plies beginning on the date that is 180 days after the date 

14 of enactment of this Act. 

15 SEC. 3. OPTION OF TRANSPORTING CONTROLLED SUB16 STANCES RECEIVED THROUGH MAIL-BACK 

17 DISPOSAL PROGRAM TO ANOTHER LOCATION 

18 FOR DESTRUCTION. 

19 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 302(g)(2) of the Con20 trolled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 822(g)(2)), as amended 

21 by section 2, is further amended by adding at the end the 

22 following subparagraph: 

23 ‘‘(D) Such regulations shall give persons who are au24 thorized to collect controlled substances from ultimate 

25 users and other non-registrants for destruction through an 


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1 authorized mail-back program under this subsection, in 

2 lieu of having and utilizing at their registered location an 

3 authorized method of destruction, the option of providing 

4 a secure method of transporting such substances to a loca5 tion of destruction consistent with applicable regula6 tions.’’. 

7 (b) REGULATIONS.—Not later than 180 days after 

8 the date of enactment of this Act, the Attorney General 

9 of the United States shall finalize such revisions to regula10 tions as may be necessary to carry out section 

11 302(g)(2)(D) of the Controlled Substances Act, as added 

12 by subsection (a), including by revising section 1317.70(a) 

13 of title 21, Code of Federal Regulations. 

14 (c) APPLICABILITY.—Section 302(g)(2)(D) of the 

15 Controlled Substances Act, as added by subsection (a), ap16 plies beginning on the date that is 180 days after the date 

17 of enactment of this Act. 

Æ 


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