Posters 'N' Things, Ltd. v. United States, 511 U.S. 513, 4 (1994)

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516

POSTERS 'N' THINGS, LTD. v. UNITED STATES

Opinion of the Court

of supervised release, and was fined $150,000. Posters was fined $75,000.

The United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit affirmed the convictions. 969 F. 2d 652 (1992). Because of an apparent conflict among the Courts of Appeals as to the nature of the scienter requirement of former 21 U. S. C. § 857,4 we granted certiorari. 507 U. S. 971 (1993).

II

Congress enacted the Mail Order Drug Paraphernalia Control Act as part of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986, Pub. L. 99-570, 100 Stat. 3207. As originally enacted, and as applicable in this case, the statute, 21 U. S. C. § 857(a),5 provides:

"It is unlawful for any person—

"(1) to make use of the services of the Postal Service or other interstate conveyance as part of a scheme to sell drug paraphernalia;

"(2) to offer for sale and transportation in interstate or foreign commerce drug paraphernalia; or

"(3) to import or export drug paraphernalia."

Section 857(b) provides that anyone convicted under the statute shall be imprisoned for not more than three years and fined not more than $100,000.

4 Compare the decision of the Eighth Circuit in this case with United States v. Mishra, 979 F. 2d 301 (CA3 1992); United States v. Murphy, 977 F. 2d 503 (CA10 1992); United States v. Schneiderman, 968 F. 2d 1564 (CA2 1992), cert. denied, 507 U. S. 921 (1993); and United States v. 57,261 Items of Drug Paraphernalia, 869 F. 2d 955 (CA6), cert. denied, 493 U. S. 933 (1989).

5 In 1990, Congress repealed § 857 and replaced it with 21 U. S. C. § 863 (1988 ed., Supp. IV). See Crime Control Act of 1990, Pub. L. 101-647, § 2401, 104 Stat. 4858. The language of § 863 is identical to that of former § 857 except in the general description of the offense. Section 863(a) makes it unlawful for any person "(1) to sell or offer for sale drug paraphernalia; (2) to use the mails or any other facility of interstate commerce to transport drug paraphernalia; or (3) to import or export drug paraphernalia."

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