Section 3391. Revocation and suspension of license or certificate of approval procedure

1. A proceeding to revoke a license or  certificate
  of  approval  shall  be  commenced  by  a notice served personally or by
  registered  or  certified  mail  upon  the  licensee  or  holder  of   a
  certificate  of  approval directing him to show cause why his license or
  certificate should not be revoked.   Such  notice  shall  set  forth  in
  detail  the grounds for the proposed revocation and shall fix a date for
  hearing not less than fifteen nor more than thirty days from the date of
  such notice.
    2. Simultaneous with the commencement of  a  proceeding  to  revoke  a
  license  or  certificate  or  during  the course of such proceeding, the
  commissioner may in the case of a  clear  and  imminent  danger  to  the
  public  health  or  safety  forthwith  suspend  without prior notice any
  license or certificate theretofore issued.
    3. If the commissioner suspends or revokes a license  or  certificate,
  all  controlled  substances owned or possessed by the licensee or holder
  of a certificate of approval and in the state of New York at the time of
  the suspension or the effective date of the revocation  and  which  such
  licensee  or holder of a certificate of approval is no longer authorized
  to possess, shall be seized or placed under seal in the manner  provided
  in this article.
    4. In lieu of revocation of a license or certificate, the commissioner
  may  impose  a civil penalty not in excess of ten thousand dollars. Such
  penalty may be imposed in lieu of revocation only if the commissioner is
  satisfied that the imposition and payment of such penalty will serve  as
  a sufficient deterrent to future violations.