diff --git a/distutils/dist.py b/distutils/dist.py
index 6cc7cd0c..23571b0c 100644
--- a/distutils/dist.py
+++ b/distutils/dist.py
@@ -10,17 +10,12 @@
 import pathlib
 import re
 import sys
+import warnings
 from collections.abc import Iterable
 from email import message_from_file
 
-from ._vendor.packaging.utils import canonicalize_name, canonicalize_version
-
-try:
-    import warnings
-except ImportError:
-    warnings = None
-
 from ._log import log
+from ._vendor.packaging.utils import canonicalize_name, canonicalize_version
 from .debug import DEBUG
 from .errors import (
     DistutilsArgError,
@@ -249,10 +244,7 @@ def __init__(self, attrs=None):  # noqa: C901
                 attrs['license'] = attrs['licence']
                 del attrs['licence']
                 msg = "'licence' distribution option is deprecated; use 'license'"
-                if warnings is not None:
-                    warnings.warn(msg)
-                else:
-                    sys.stderr.write(msg + "\n")
+                warnings.warn(msg)
 
             # Now work on the rest of the attributes.  Any attribute that's
             # not already defined is invalid!