{"data":{"id":"us-md/md.-code-criminal-law-5-618","jurisdiction":"us-md","citation":"Md. Code, Criminal Law § 5–618","heading":"","body":"(a) Except as authorized in this title, a person may not possess or purchase a noncontrolled substance that the person reasonably believes is a controlled dangerous substance.\n(b) To determine if a person has violated this section, the court shall include in its consideration:\n(1) whether the noncontrolled substance was packaged in a manner normally used to illegally distribute a controlled dangerous substance;\n(2) if the noncontrolled substance was purchased, whether the amount of the consideration was substantially greater than the reasonable value of the noncontrolled substance; and\n(3) whether the physical appearance of the noncontrolled substance is substantially identical to that of a controlled dangerous substance.\n(c) It is not a defense to a prosecution under this section that the substance a person possessed or purchased was not a controlled dangerous substance if the person reasonably believed that it was a controlled dangerous substance.\n(d) A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 1 year or a fine not exceeding $500 or both.","path":["Article - Criminal Law"],"source_url":"https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gcr\u0026section=5-618","current_through":"2026-01-01","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T19:57:08Z","sha256":"8eee607d3932c60d4a5b46304d730595614f681ad99ee372075c1471c6260f44","source_id":"us-md","stale":false,"prev":"us-md/md.-code-criminal-law-5-617","next":"us-md/md.-code-criminal-law-5-619"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}