Yes, you can buy chloroform in the United States, but not from a pharmacy, hardware store, or general retailer. The only realistic source is a specialty chemical supplier, and even then most sales go to laboratories, universities, hospitals, and industrial buyers rather than individuals. No federal statute flatly bans private possession, yet FDA rules, environmental regulations, shipping requirements, and criminal laws surround the chemical closely enough that casual purchase is neither easy nor advisable.
Where Chloroform Is Actually Sold
Chemical supply companies stock laboratory-grade and technical-grade chloroform and ship it under federal hazardous-materials rules. Most cater to institutions and require a business or institutional account before completing a sale. Some will sell to individuals, though they typically add a hazmat shipping surcharge, restrict delivery to the 48 contiguous states by ground carrier, and require an adult signature on delivery.
The practical barriers are significant even when no law blocks the transaction. Chloroform is classified as a poison for shipping purposes, so carriers apply strict packaging, labeling, and documentation requirements. Compliant shipping alone often costs more than the chemical itself for small orders. Because of chloroform’s well-known association with drug-facilitated assault, suppliers routinely flag unusual orders and refuse sales that raise concerns.
Consumer Products Are Off the Table
You will not find chloroform in anything sold to the public, because the FDA has removed it from the two product categories consumers might otherwise encounter.
In cosmetics, any product containing chloroform as an ingredient is considered adulterated and subject to enforcement action. The FDA based this ban on National Cancer Institute studies showing chloroform caused liver cancer in mice and kidney tumors in rats. A narrow exception exists for trace amounts left over from manufacturing, but intentionally adding chloroform to a cosmetic product is illegal.1eCFR. 21 CFR Part 700 – General – Section 700.18 Use of Chloroform as an Ingredient in Cosmetic Products
In drug products, the FDA designated chloroform a “new drug” through rulemaking, which means any drug containing chloroform as an active or inactive ingredient requires an approved new drug application before it can be marketed. No manufacturer has pursued that approval, so the effect is a de facto ban on chloroform in over-the-counter and prescription medications.2eCFR. 21 CFR Part 310 – New Drugs – Section 310.502 Certain Drugs Accorded New Drug Status Through Rulemaking Procedures
Chloroform Is Not a Controlled Substance
A common misconception is that chloroform is a scheduled drug. It is not. Chloroform does not appear on any of the five schedules of controlled substances established by the Controlled Substances Act, nor is it classified as a DEA List I or List II chemical subject to precursor recordkeeping and reporting.3eCFR. 21 CFR Part 1310 – Records and Reports of Listed Chemicals No DEA registration or license is required to buy, possess, or use it for lawful purposes.
The absence of scheduling does not mean chloroform is unregulated. It is treated as a hazardous substance under environmental law, a toxic material for shipping, and a banned ingredient in consumer products. The criminal penalties for using it against another person are severe regardless of its scheduling status.
Why the Regulations Exist
Chloroform is a probable human carcinogen according to the EPA, with long-term exposure linked to liver damage, kidney damage, and blood disorders. Inhaling it at high concentrations depresses the central nervous system and can be fatal. It is also absorbed through the skin, which is why anyone handling it professionally uses gloves and respiratory protection.4U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Chloroform Hazard Summary NIOSH considers it a potential occupational carcinogen under the OSHA carcinogen policy.5Centers for Disease Control and Prevention / NIOSH. Chloroform – IDLH
Criminal Penalties for Misuse
Using chloroform to incapacitate, harm, or control another person is a serious crime at both the federal and state level. The specific charges depend on the circumstances, but the exposure is severe.
Federal Drugging Statute
The Drug-Induced Rape Prevention and Punishment Act of 1996 amended federal law to target anyone who administers a substance to another person without their knowledge in order to commit a violent crime. Under 21 U.S.C. § 841, distributing a substance with intent to facilitate rape or another crime of violence carries up to 20 years in federal prison.6Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 21 USC 841 – Prohibited Acts A The statute was written with date-rape drugs in mind, but it applies to any substance used for that purpose, chloroform included.
Consumer Product Tampering
If chloroform is introduced into a consumer product or used in a way that endangers someone through reckless disregard for their safety, federal tampering laws apply. Under 18 U.S.C. § 1365, tampering that results in serious bodily injury carries up to 20 years. If someone dies, the sentence can be any term of years up to life imprisonment.7Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 1365 – Tampering With Consumer Products
State Assault and Poisoning Charges
Every state has assault and battery statutes that cover administering a harmful or stupefying substance to another person. Charges typically range from felony assault to aggravated assault depending on the facts. If the victim suffers serious injury, or if the chloroform was used to facilitate sexual assault, robbery, or kidnapping, the charges escalate accordingly. States that treat administering a poison or noxious substance as a standalone offense often classify it as a felony carrying several years in prison. When a victim dies, prosecutors can pursue murder or manslaughter charges regardless of the perpetrator’s original intent.
Environmental Crimes
Improper disposal or release of chloroform carries criminal exposure of its own. When chloroform is discarded it becomes a listed hazardous waste under EPA waste code U044, and disposal must go through a licensed hazardous waste facility. Pouring it down a drain or into the trash is a federal violation.8eCFR. 40 CFR Part 261 Subpart D – Lists of Hazardous Wastes Under CERCLA, any release equal to or greater than 10 pounds must be reported immediately to the National Response Center, whether the release is accidental or intentional.9eCFR. 40 CFR 302.4 – Hazardous Substances and Reportable Quantities Knowing violations of RCRA hazardous waste requirements can result in fines and imprisonment, and CERCLA imposes cleanup liability that can run into hundreds of thousands of dollars for relatively small spills.
If You Have a Legitimate Use
Chloroform is widely used in industrial manufacturing, as a solvent in chemical synthesis, and in biological research for DNA and RNA extraction. Anyone working with it in a professional setting operates inside a framework of exposure limits, safety data sheets, and waste tracking.
OSHA’s permissible exposure limit is a ceiling of 50 ppm, meaning workplace air must never exceed that level.10eCFR. 29 CFR 1910.1000 – Air Contaminants NIOSH recommends a far stricter short-term exposure ceiling of 2 ppm measured over 60 minutes, and many safety professionals treat the NIOSH figure as the practical standard even though OSHA’s number is what is legally enforceable. At concentrations above the NIOSH limit, workers need either a self-contained breathing apparatus or a supplied-air respirator with a full facepiece operated in pressure-demand mode, along with skin and eye protection and access to an eyewash station and emergency shower.11CDC – NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards. Chloroform
For transport, chloroform is assigned to hazard class 6.1 (toxic substances), identification number UN1888, packing group III.12eCFR. 49 CFR 172.101 – Table of Hazardous Materials and Special Provisions Shippers must use approved packaging, apply proper hazard labels, and include shipping papers identifying the chemical. Carriers charge hazmat fees, and most will move it only by ground.
The short version for a private buyer: purchase is legal, access is narrow, and the legal consequences for stepping outside legitimate use are heavier than the ease of ordering the chemical might suggest.