Title 3, Human Resources

Enforcement and Penalties. (a) Inspection and compliance: CFOs and MEHKOs may operate under the adherence of the following enforcement requirements: (1) The EHDP may conduct periodic inspections to ensure compliance. (2) Violations may result in fines, suspension, or revocation o…

Implementation. The CHCC Environmental Health Disease Prevention shall establish regulations and procedures to implement this Act within six (6) months of its effective date. Source: PL 24-22, § 3 (Jan. 8, 2026).

Prohibited Sales of Food. (a) No person shall sell an article of food, afok or bweesch, for human consumption that: (1) Has in or on it any poisonous or harmful substance; (2) Is unfit for human consumption; (3) Consists in whole or in part of any filthy, putrid, disgusting, rott…

Deception Regarding Food. No person shall label, package, treat, process, distribute, sell or advertise any food, afok or bweesch, in a manner that is false, misleading or deceptive or is likely to create an extraneous impression regarding its character, value, quantity, composit…

§ 2713. Food Labeled or Packaged in Contravention of Regulations. An article of food, afok or bweesch, that is not labeled or packaged as required by, or is labeled or packaged contrary to, the regulations shall be deemed to be labeled or packaged contrary to subsection (1). Sour…

Importation of Food. (a) Where a standard for a food, afok or bweesch, has been prescribed, no person shall: (1) Import into the Commonwealth, or (2) Send, convey or receive for conveyance within the Commonwealth, or (3) Have in possession for the purpose of sending or conveying …

Labeling of Food that is Imported or Moved within the Commonwealth. (a) Where a standard for a food has been prescribed, no person shall label, package, sell or advertise any article that: (1) Has been imported into the Commonwealth, (2) Has been sent or conveyed within the Commo…

Authority of the Secretary to Identify Standard. (a) The secretary may, by regulation, identify a standard prescribed for a food as being necessary to prevent injury to the health of the consumer or purchaser of the food. (b) Where a standard prescribed for a food is identified b…

Unsanitary Manufacture of Food. No person shall manufacture, prepare, preserve, package or store for sale any food, afok or bweesch, under unsanitary conditions and must have a Food Handler Certification and a Sanitary Permit as required by the Bureau of Environmental Health. Sou…

Prohibition Regarding Slaughter of Dogs and Cats. It is the policy of the Commonwealth Department of Public Health that the sale of dogs and cats for human consumption is prohibited and shall be deemed a violation of this chapter. Source: PL 11-40, § 2 (§ 208), modified.

Prohibited Sales of Drugs. No person shall sell any drug that: (a) Was manufactured, prepared, preserved, packaged, distributed or stored under unsanitary conditions; or (b) Is adulterated. Source: PL 11-40, § 2 (§ 301), modified.

Description Regarding Drugs. No person shall label, package, treat, process, distribute, sell or advertise any drug in a manner that is false, misleading or deceptive or is likely to create erroneous impression regarding its character, value, quantity, composition, merit or safet…

Drugs Labeled or Packaged in Contravention of Regulations. A drug that is not labeled or packaged as required by, or is labeled or packaged contrary to the regulations shall be deemed to be labeled or packaged contrary to 3 CMC § 2732. Source: PL 11-40, § 2 (§ 303), modified.

Where Standard Prescribed for Drug. Where a standard has been prescribed for a drug by the World Health Organization (WHO) or in official compendium as defined in this chapter, no person shall label, package, distribute, sell or advertise any substance in such a manner that it is…

Unsanitary Manufacture of Drug. No person shall manufacture, prepare, preserve, package, distribute, or store for sale any drug under unsanitary conditions. Source: PL 11-40, § 2 (§ 305), modified.

Drugs Not to be Sold Unless Safe Manufacture Indicated. No person shall sell any drug described in Schedule B or C unless the secretary has, in prescribed form and manner, indicated that the premises in which the drug was manufactured and the process and conditions of manufacture…

Drugs Not to be Sold Unless Safe Batch Indicated. No person shall sell any drug described in Schedule D unless the secretary has, in prescribed form and manner, indicated that the batch from which the drug was taken is not unsafe for use. Source: PL 11-40, § 2 (§ 307), modified. …

Samples. (a) No person shall distribute or cause to be distributed any drug as a sample. (b) Subsection (a) of this section does not apply to the distribution, under prescribed conditions, of samples of drugs to physicians, dentists, veterinary surgeons or pharmacists. Source: PL…

Importation of Drugs. No person shall import foreign drugs unless: (a) The foreign drug was purchased or acquired for personal use; (b) The intended use of the foreign drug is appropriately identified and such prescription or product shall not extend in excess of three months; (c…

Prohibited Sales of Cosmetics. No person shall sell any cosmetic that: (a) Has in or on it any substance that may cause injury to the health of the user when the cosmetic is used, (1) According to the directions on the label or accompanying the cosmetic, or (2) For such purposes …

Where Standard Prescribed for Cosmetic. Where a standard has been prescribed under Commonwealth regulation for a cosmetic, no person shall label, package, sell or advertise any article in such a manner that it is likely to be mistaken for that cosmetic, unless the article complie…

Unsanitary Conditions. No person shall manufacture, prepare, preserve, package or store for sale any cosmetic under unsanitary conditions. Source: PL 11-40, § 2 (§ 403), modified.

Prohibited Sales of Devices. No person shall sell any device that, when used according to directions or under such conditions as are customary or usual, may cause injury to the health of the purchaser or use thereof. Source: PL 11-40, § 2 (§ 404), modified.

Deception Regarding Devices. No person shall label, package, treat, process, sell or advertise any device in a manner that is false, misleading or deceptive or is likely to create an erroneous impression regarding its design, construction, performance, intended use, quantity, cha…

Devices Labeled or Packaged in Contravention of Regulations. A device that is not labeled or packaged as required by, or is labeled or packaged contrary to, the regulations shall be deemed to be labeled or packaged contrary to 3 CMC § 2755. Source: PL 11-40, § 2 (§ 406), modified…

Where Standard Prescribed for Device. Where a standard has been prescribed by the World Health Organization (WHO) or in an official compendium as defined in this chapter, for a device, no person shall label, package, sell or advertise any article in such a manner that it is likel…

Inspection, Seizure and Forfeiture. (a) The secretary may designate any person employed by the Department of Public Health as an inspector and, in coordination with the Secretary of Finance, request employees in customs service, to act on his or her behalf, as an inspector for th…

Warrant Required to Enter into Any Dwelling-House. Where any place mentioned in 3 CMC § 2771(c) is a dwelling-house, an inspector may not enter that dwelling-house without the consent of the occupant except under the authority of a warrant issued under 3 CMC § 2773. Source: PL 11…

Authority to Issue Warrant. Where on ex parte application of the department, a judge of the Commonwealth is satisfied by information on oath: (a) That the conditions for entry described in 3 CMC § 2771(c) exist in relation to a dwelling-house, (b) That entry to the dwelling-house…

Use of Force. In executing a warrant issued under 3 CMC § 2773, the inspector named therein shall not use force unless the inspector is accompanied by a Department of Public Safety police officer, and the use of force has been specifically authorized in the warrant. Source: PL 11…

Definition of “Article to which this Act or the Regulations apply”. (a) In 3 CMC § 2771(c), “article to which this Act or the regulations apply” includes; (1) Any food, afork or bweesch, drug, cosmetic, or device; (2) Anything used for the manufacture, preparation, preservation, …

Assistance and Information to be Given Inspector. The owner or person in charge of a place entered by an inspector pursuant to 3 CMC § 2771(c) and every person found therein shall give the inspector all reasonable assistance and furnish the inspector with any information he or sh…

Obstruction and False Statement. No person shall obstruct or hinder, or knowingly make any false or misleading statement either orally or in writing to an inspector while the inspector is engaged in carrying out his or her duties or functions under this chapter or the regulations…

Interference. Except with the authority of an inspector, no person shall remove, alter or interfere in any way with anything seized under this chapter or the regulations. Source: PL 11-40, § 2 (§ 508), modified.

Storage and Removal. Any article seized under this article may, at the option of an inspector, be kept or stored in the building or place where it was seized or, at the direction of an inspector, the article may be removed to any other proper place. Source: PL 11-40, § 2 (§ 509),…

Release of Seized Articles. An inspector who has seized any article under this article shall release it when he or she is satisfied that all the provisions of this chapter and the regulations with respect thereto have been complied with. Source: PL 11-40, § 2 (§ 510), modified.

Destruction with Consent. Where an inspector has seized an article under this article and its owner or the person in whose possession the article was at the time of seizure consents to its destruction, the article is thereupon forfeited to the Commonwealth and may be destroyed or…

Forfeiture on Conviction. Where a person has been convicted of a contravention of this chapter or the regulations, the court or judge may order that any article by means of or in relation to which the offense was committed, and anything of a similar nature belonging to or in the …

Order for Forfeiture on Application of Inspector. Without prejudice to 3 CMC § 2782, a judge of a court of the Commonwealth under this article may, on the application of an inspector and on such notice to such persons as the judge directs, order that the article and anything of a…

Designation of Analysts. The secretary may designate any person as an analyst for the purpose of the enforcement of this chapter. Source: PL 11-40, § 2 (§ 514), modified.

Analysis and Examination. (a) An inspector may submit to an analyst, for analysis or examination, any article seized by the inspector, or any sample taken by the inspector. (b) An analyst who has made an analysis or examination may issue a certificate or report setting out the re…

Authority to Make Regulations. The secretary may make regulations for carrying the purposes and provisions of this chapter into effect, and, in particular, but without restricting the generality of the foregoing, may make regulations: (a) Declaring that any food, drug, cosmetic, …

Regulations Respecting Drugs Manufactured Outside the United States. Without limiting or restricting the authority conferred by any other provisions of this chapter or any part thereof for carrying into effect the purposes and provisions of this chapter or any part thereof, the s…

Offenses and Punishment: Contravention of Act or Regulations. Every person who contravenes any of the provisions of this chapter, or of the regulations made pursuant to 3 CMC §§ 2787 and 2788, is guilty of an offense and liable: (a) On conviction for a first offense to a fine not…

Limitation Period. A prosecution under paragraph 3 CMC § 2788 may be instituted at any time within but not later than 12 months from the time the subject-matter of the prosecution arose. Source: PL 11-40, § 2 (§ 519), modified.

Certificate of Analyst. Subject to this section, in any prosecution for an offense under 3 CMC § 2788, a certificate purporting to be signed by an analyst and stating that an article, sample or substance has been submitted to, and analyzed or examined by, the analyst and stating …