Court Opinion

ID: 9725518
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 11:51:10.354274+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:25:16.154719
License: Public Domain

D. F. Walsh, J.
(dissenting). I must respectfully dissent. In my judgment the majority’s conclusion that § 7407 and § 17766 of the Public Health Code, MCL 333.1101 et seq.; MSA 14.15(1101) et seq., cover the same subject matter is incorrect. The felony statute, § 7407, is concerned with controlled substances. The misdemeanor statute, § 17766, is concerned with prescription drugs.
Not all prescription drugs are controlled substances. Section 7407 makes it a felony to acquire a controlled substance by any form of misrepresentation or deception. There is nothing in the Public Health Code which persuades me that the Legislature intended that otherwise felonious conduct should be punishable only as a misdemeanor if the misrepresentation or deception was in the form of a forged or altered prescription.
I must conclude that § 17766 applies to prescription drugs which are not also controlled substances. Since the drugs which defendant acquired *473or attempted to acquire in this case were controlled substances, I find no abuse of discretion in the charge made by the prosecutor. I would reverse. '