Endangerment of child or vulnerable adult
N.D. Cent. Code § 19-03.1-22.2
in effect19-03.1-22.2. Endangerment of child or vulnerable adult
1. For purposes of this section:
a. "Chemical substance" means a substance intended to be used as a precursor in
the manufacture of a controlled substance or any other chemical intended to be
used in the manufacture of a controlled substance. Intent under this subsection
may be demonstrated by the substance's use, quantity, manner of storage, or
proximity to other precursors or to manufacturing equipment.
b. "Child" means an individual who is under the age of eighteen years.
c. "Controlled substance" means the same as that term is defined in section
19-03.1-01, except the term does not include less than one-half ounce [14.175
grams] of marijuana or less than two grams of tetrahydrocannabinol.
d. "Drug paraphernalia" means the same as that term is defined in section
19-03.4-01.
e. "Prescription" means the same as that term is described in section 19-03.1-22.
f. "Vulnerable adult" means a vulnerable adult as the term is defined in section
50-25.2-01.
2. Unless a greater penalty is otherwise provided by law, a person who knowingly or
intentionally causes or permits a child or vulnerable adult to be exposed to, to ingest or
inhale, or to have contact with a controlled substance, chemical substance, or drug
paraphernalia as defined in subsection 1, is guilty of a class C felony.
3. Unless a greater penalty is otherwise provided by law, a person who violates
subsection 2, and a child or vulnerable adult actually suffers bodily injury by exposure
to, ingestion of, inhalation of, or contact with a controlled substance, chemical
substance, or drug paraphernalia, is guilty of a class B felony unless the exposure,
ingestion, inhalation, or contact results in the death of the child or vulnerable adult, in
which case the person is guilty of a class A felony.
4. It is an affirmative defense to a violation of this section that the controlled substance
was provided by lawful prescription for the child or vulnerable adult and that it was
administered to the child or vulnerable adult in accordance with the prescription
instructions provided with the controlled substance.
Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://ndlegis.gov/cencode/t19c03-1.pdf#nameddest=19-03p1-22p2Fetched: 10/16/2026