Virginia State Board of Pharmacy v. Virginia Citizens Consumer Council, Inc.

425 U.S. 748 · Decided May 24, 1976 · Supreme Court of the United States

At a glance

Virginia State Board of Pharmacy v. Virginia Citizens Consumer Council, Inc. was decided on May 24, 1976 by a vote of 7–1. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice Harry A. Blackmun wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Commercial speech, excluding attorneys” in the First Amendment area. SCDB codes this decision as formally altering one or more of the Court's own precedents. SCDB records that the Court declared a state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision unconstitutional.

Read the opinion

• CourtListener (Free Law Project) — opinion text
• Library of Congress — official U.S. Reports scan

Case details

How the Justices voted

Did not participate: John Paul Stevens.

Full case caption

Virginia State Board of Pharmacy et al. v. Virginia Citizens Consumer Council, Inc., et al.

SCDB identifiers: case 1975-098, docket 1975-098-01.

Related decisions

Other cases on “Commercial speech, excluding attorneys”

• Bigelow v. VirginiaLaw held unconstitutional
  421 U.S. 809Decided June 16, 19757–2Harry A. Blackmun
• Linmark Associates, Inc. v. Township of WillingboroLaw held unconstitutional
  431 U.S. 85Decided May 2, 19778–0Thurgood Marshall
• Friedman v. Rogers
  440 U.S. 1Decided February 21, 19797–2Lewis F. Powell Jr.
• Pittsburgh Press Co. v. Pittsburgh Commission on Human Relations
  413 U.S. 376Decided June 21, 19735–4Lewis F. Powell Jr.
• Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp. v. Public Service Commission of New YorkLaw held unconstitutional
  447 U.S. 557Decided June 20, 19808–1Lewis F. Powell Jr.
• Metromedia, Inc. v. City of San DiegoLaw held unconstitutional
  453 U.S. 490Decided July 2, 19816–3Byron R. White

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Cases on the same legal provision: First Amendment (speech, press, and assembly)

• Hynes v. Mayor and Council of Borough of OradellLaw held unconstitutional
  425 U.S. 610Decided May 19, 19767–1Warren E. Burger
• Young v. American Mini Theatres, Inc.
  427 U.S. 50Decided June 24, 19765–4John Paul Stevens
• Nebraska Press Assn. v. Stuart
  427 U.S. 539Decided June 30, 19769–0Warren E. Burger
• Kelley v. Johnson
  425 U.S. 238Decided April 5, 19766–2William H. Rehnquist
• Greer v. Spock
  424 U.S. 828Decided March 24, 19766–2Potter Stewart
• McKinney v. AlabamaLaw held unconstitutional
  424 U.S. 669Decided March 23, 19768–0William H. Rehnquist

Same Term, same area (First Amendment)

• Buckley v. ValeoLaw held unconstitutional
  424 U.S. 1Decided January 30, 19767–1Per curiam
• Time, Inc. v. Firestone
  424 U.S. 448Decided March 2, 19766–2William H. Rehnquist
• Hudgens v. National Labor Relations BoardAltered precedent
  424 U.S. 507Decided March 3, 19766–2Potter Stewart
• McKinney v. AlabamaLaw held unconstitutional
  424 U.S. 669Decided March 23, 19768–0William H. Rehnquist
• Greer v. Spock
  424 U.S. 828Decided March 24, 19766–2Potter Stewart
• Kelley v. Johnson
  425 U.S. 238Decided April 5, 19766–2William H. Rehnquist

See all

Source: Supreme Court Database, 2026 Release 01 (data file dated September 8, 2026). Imported into CaseTrail November 5, 2026. Coverage: decisions from the 1946 through 2025 Terms. Methodology · Report an error