Opinion ID: 1831185
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: the issue of classification.

Text: Upon oral argument, the prosecutor contended that this case does not involve any classification because under 18 USCA, § 1402, all heroin must be surrendered to the secretary of the treasury. It was argued there can be no legitimate traffic in heroin. PA 1937, No 343, § 2, as amended by PA 1952, No 132 (CLS 1961, § 335.52 [Stat Ann 1957 Rev § 18.1072]), provides: It shall be unlawful for any person duly licensed under the provisions of this act to manufacture, possess, have under his control, sell, prescribe, administer, dispense, or compound any narcotic drug, except as authorized in this act. (Emphasis supplied.) Whether there can be any legitimate traffic in heroin is immaterial. If the Federal law forbids all traffic in heroin, then certainly State law cannot authorize use of the drug. It follows that any use or traffic in heroin would be unauthorized and an offense under the above section. Assuming a sale of heroin by a person licensed under the act, section 20, the penal section (CLS 1961, § 335.70 [Stat Ann 1957 Rev § 18.1090]), reads: Any person duly licensed under the preceding provisions of this act who violates any provision of this act shall be guilty of a felony, punishable by imprisonment in the State prison for not more than 10 years or by a fine of not more than $10,000.00 or by both such fine and imprisonment. (Emphasis supplied.) The test of guilt under the act is not whether the licensed person can sell heroin but whether he is licensed. The law does apply to a class  Any person duly licensed  and consequently classification does exist under PA 1937, No 343, as amended.