An Act to provide for the treatment of users of narcotics in the District of Columbia
PL 83-76 (H.R.3307), enacted 06/24/1953

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PUBLIC LAW 76-JUNE 24, 1953 
77 
(B) A weekly or biweekly rate shall be divided by five or ten, 
as the case may be, to derive a daily rate. 
All rates shall be computed to the nearest cent, counting one-half cent 
and over as a whole cent. 
(c) For all officers and employees referred to in this Act, each pay 
period shall cover two administrative workweeks. 
SEC. 406. The Commissioners of the District of Columbia are hereby 
authorized to promulgate such regulations as may be necessary for the 
administration of this Act. 
SEC. 407. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 1953. 
Approved June 20, 1953. 
Pay period. 
Regulations. 
Effective date. 
Public Law 75 
CHAPTER 147 
AN ACT 
Authorizing tlie appropriation of funds to provide for the prosecution of projects 
in the Columbia River Basin for flood control and other purposes. 
June 22, 1953 
[H. R. 4025] 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, That paragraph 
(b) under the title "Columbia River Basin" in section 204 of the 
Flood Control Act, approved May 17,1950, is hereby amended by strik-
ing out "$75,000,000" and substituting in lieu thereof "$150,000,000". 
Approved June 22, 1953. 
64 Stat. 179. 
Public Law 76 
CHAPTER 149 
-^N ^^'^ 
June 24, 1953 
To provide for the treatment of users of narcotics in the District of Columbia. 
[H. R. 3307] 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, That the purpose 
of this Act is to protect the health and safety of the people of the Dis-
trict of Columbia from the menace of drug addiction and to afford an 
opportunity to the drug user for rehabilitation. 
The Congress 
intends that Federal criminal laws shall be enforced against drug 
users as well as other persons, and this Act shall not be used to sub-
stitute treatment for punishment in cases of crime committed by drug 
users. 
DEFINITIONS 
SEC. 2, For the purposes of this Act— 
(1) The term "drug user" means any person who habitually uses 
any habit-forming narcotic drugs so as to endanger the public morals, 
health, safety, or welfare, or who is so far addicted to the use of such 
habit-forming narcotic drugs as to have lost the power of self-control 
with reference to his addiction. 
(2) The term "patient" means a person with respect to whom there 
has been filed with the clerk of the United States District Court for 
the District of Columbia a statement as provided for in section 3. 
FILING A STATEMENT 
SEC. 3. (a) Whenever it appears to the United States attorney for 
the District of Columbia that any person within the District of 
Columbia, other than a person referred to in subsection (b), is a drug 
user, he may file with the clerk of the United States District Court 
Narcotics. 
T r e a t m e n t of 
users in D. C. 
27000 O - 53 - 8 
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PUBLIC LAW 76-JUNE 24, 1953 
[67 STAT. 
for the District of Columbia a statement in writing setting forth the 
facts tending to show that such a person is a drug user. 
(b) The tJnited States attorney shall not file a statement under this 
section with respect to any person who is charged with a criminal 
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offense, whether by indictment, by information, or who is under sen-
tence for a criminal offense, whether he is serving the sentence, or is 
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on probation or parole, or has been released on bond pending appeal. 
COURT ORDER FOR EXAMINATION 
SEC. 4. Upon the filing of such a statement, the court shall order 
the patient to appear before it for an examination by physicians 
pursuant to section 6 (a) of this Act and for a hearing if required 
under section 7 of this Act. 
The copy of the statement and order of 
the court shall be served personally upon the patient by the United 
States Marshal. 
RIGHT TO COUNSEL 
x 
SEC. 5. A patient shall have the right to the assistance of counsel 
at every stage of the judicial proceeding under this Act. 
Before the 
court appoints physicians pursuant to section 6 of this Act it shall 
advise the patient of his right to counsel and shall assign counsel to 
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represent him if the patient is unable to obtain counsel. 
EXAMINATIONS BY PHYSICIANS 
SEC. 6. (a) When such a statement has been filed the court shall 
appoint two qualified physicians^ one of whom shall be a psychiatrist, 
to examine the patient. 
For the purpose of the examination the court 
may order the patient committed for such reasonable period as the 
court may determine to a suitable hospital or other facility to be desig-
nated by the court. 
Each physician shall, within such periods as the 
court may direct, file a written report of the examination, which shall 
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include a statement of his conclusion as to whether the patient is a 
drug user. 
(b) The counsel for the patient may inspect the reports of the 
examination. 
No such report and no evidence resulting from the per-
sonal examination of the patient or evidence offered by the patient 
shall be admissible against him in any judicial proceeding except a 
proceeding under this Act. 
W H E N HEARING IS REQUIRED 
SEC. 7. If, in a report filed pursuant to section 6 of this Act, either 
of the examining physicians states that the patient is a drug user, or 
that he is unable to reach any conclusion by reason of the refusal of 
the patient to submit to thorough examination, the court shall conduct 
a hearing in the manner provided in section 8 of this Act. If, on the 
basis of the reports filed, the court is not required to conduct such a 
hearing, it shall enter an order dismissing the proceeding under this 
Act. If a hearing is deemed necessary, then such notice of hearing 
shall be served personally upon the patient to afford the said patient 
the opportunity to prepare for the hearing. 
HEARING 
SEC. 8. Upon the evidence introduced at a hearing held for that 
purpose the court shall determine whether the patient is a drug user. 
The hearing shall be conducted without a jury unless, before the hear-
67 STAT.] 
PUBLIC LAW 76-JtJNE 24, 1953 
79 
ing and within fifteen days after the date on which the second report 
is filed pursuant to section 6 of this Act, a jury is demanded by the 
patient or by the United States Attorney. 
The patient may, after 
appointment or employment of counsel, waive a hearing and be com-
mitted directly to a hospital designated by the Commissioners of the 
District of Columbia, or their designated agent. The rules of evidence 
applicable in judicial proceedings in the court are applicable to hear-
ings pursuant to this section, including the right of the patient to 
present evidence in his own behalf and to subpena and cross-examine 
witnesses. 
CONFINEMENT OF PATIENT 
SEC. 9. If the court finds the patient to be a drug user, it may com-
mit him to a hospital designated by the patient or the Commissioners 
of the District of Columbia, or their designated agent, and approved 
by the court, to be confined there for rehabilitation until released in 
accordance with section 10 of this Act. The head of the hospital shall 
> - ct ^
^ 
submit written reports, within such periods as the court may direct, 
but no longer than six months after the commitment and for successive 
intervals of time thereafter, and state reasons why the patient has not 
been released. 
RELEASE o r PATIENT 
SEC. 10. (a) When the head of the hospital to which the patient is 
, • . • r^t ,. 
committed finds that the patient appears to be no longer in need of 
rehabilitation, or has received maximum benefits, they shall give notice 
to the judge of the committing court, and the said patient shall be 
delivered to the said court, for such further action as the court may 
deem necessary and proper under the provisions of this Act. 
(b) The court, upon petition of the patient after confinement for 
one year, shall inquire into the refusal or failure of the head of the 
hospital C
O release him. If the court finds that the patient is no longer 
in need of care, treatment, guidance, or rehabilitation, or has received 
maximum benefits, it shall order the patient released, in accordance 
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with the provisions of section 11 of this Act. 
PERIODIC EXAMINATION OF RELEASED PATIENTS 
SEC. 11. For the two years after his release, the paj:ient shall report 
to the Commissioners of the District of Columbia, or their designated 
agent, at such times and places as those officers, or officer, require, but 
not more frequently than once each month, for a physical examination 
to determine whether the patient has again become a drug user. If the 
Commissioners of the District of Columbia, or their designated agent, 
determine that the person examined is a drug user, they shall so notify 
the United States attorney for the District of Columbia who may then 
file a statement under section 3 of this Act with respect to the person 
examined. 
PATIENT Nm- DEEMED A CRIMINAL 
SEC. 12. The patient in any proceeding under this Act shall not be 
deemed a criminal and the commitment of any such patient shall not 
be deemed a conviction. 
SEC. 13. This Act shall become effective six months after the date 
Effective date, 
of its approval. 
Approved June 24, 1953.