Virginia legal term
Opiate in Virginia Criminal Law
Current through 2026 Virginia legislative session
In Virginia criminal law, “Opiate” is a term defined by statute rather than by its everyday meaning. Its statutory definition — quoted verbatim below — controls how the term is applied throughout the Virginia criminal code.
What does “Opiate” mean in Virginia criminal law?
"Opiate" means any substance having an addiction-forming or addiction-sustaining liability similar to morphine or being capable of conversion into a drug having such addiction-forming or addiction-sustaining liability. (Va. Code Ann. § 54.1-3401)
Statutes defining or using this term
Related terms in the same statutes
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.