---
kind: "section"
citation: "15 U.S.C. § 1338"
title: "15"
title_heading: "Commerce and Trade"
number: "1338"
heading: "Criminal penalty"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/15/1338"
units:
  - "Chapter 36 — Cigarette Labeling and Advertising"
---

# §1338. Criminal penalty


Any [person](/usc/15/1332.md?p=5) who violates the provisions of this chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall on conviction thereof be subject to a fine of not more than $10,000.


## Source credit

(Pub. L. 89–92, § 10, formerly § 9, July 27, 1965, 79 Stat. 284; Pub. L. 91–222, § 2, Apr. 1, 1970, 84 Stat. 89; renumbered § 10, Pub. L. 98–474, § 5(a), Oct. 12, 1984, 98 Stat. 2203.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 10 of Pub. L. 89–92 was renumbered section 11 and is classified to section 1339 of this title.

### Amendments

1970—Pub. L. 91–222 substituted provisions that violators shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to fine, for provision that if any part of this chapter be held invalid, other provisions thereof shall not be affected. See Separability note set out under section 1331 of this title.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1970 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 91–222 effective Jan. 1, 1970, except where otherwise specified, see section 3 of Pub. L. 91–222, set out in part as a note under section 1331 of this title.