Drug Control Division

Guidance Documents/Resources

• Connecticut Comprehensive Drug Laws (Updated May 2025)
• What to Do if Your Pharmacy is Closing
• Pharmacist Prescribing of Hormonal Contraceptive (Updated 6/26/2025)
• Report: Prescription Drug Shortages in Connecticut (1/1/2025)
• Pharmaceutical Marketing Firm Report 2024 (12/1/2024)
• Advanced Pharmacy Technician Registration (*pending regulation development and approval)
• Pharmacy Clerk Registration (Effective October 1, 2024)
• Dispensing Group Practice Registration (1/5/2024)
• 2023 Drug Control Legislative Updates CE Presentation (1/3/2024)
• Vaccinations by Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians (11/30/2023)
• Warning Sticker (11/2/2023)
• Pharmacists May Continue to Prescribe Naloxone (9/27/2023)
• Information for Healthcare Providers: Talking to Patients About Cannabis Use
• Pharmaceutical Marketing Firm Registration (Updated 2/27/2024)
• Connecticut Laws Impacting Prescribing and Practice (8/11/2023)
• Mobile Pharmacy (7/5/2023)
• Nonlegend Drugs (Over-the-counter) in Vending Machines (7/20/2023)
• Refill/reissue prescriptions of Schedule II Medications
• Dispensing of Medication from Hospitals (20-622)
• Business Resources
• Medication Shortage Resources
• Pharmacist Role in COVID-19 testing 

Latest News/Quick Resource

Gabapentin and Naloxone in the CPMRS

Controlled Substance Prescribing Guidance

Return of Prescription Drugs to Pharmacies

Epinephrine in Authorized Entities

Suspicious Order Monitoring

Naloxone at Higher Education

Designated Pharmacist Requirements for Sterile Pharmaceutical Preparation

Electronic Prescribing of Controlled Substances

Naloxone Prescribing by Pharmacists

Prescription Drug Drop Box Map

K2 and Spice: The Danger of Synthetic Cannabinoids

Resources

New Laws

2024

• Public Act 24-19 An Act Concerning the Health and Safety of Connecticut Residents
  • Section 10: A Study of Prescription Drug Shortages
  • Section 14: Dispensation of Drug Deactivation Pouches with Opioid Prescriptions
  • Section 16: Study of Long-Term Payment Options for Drug Deactivation Pouches
• Public Act 24-54 An Act requiring Online Prevention Education for Electronic Nicotine Delivery System Dealer Registration
  • Section 1: Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services to Administer an Online Prevention Education Program
  • Section 2: Application Updates
• Public Act 24-73 An Ac Concerning Regulation of Prescription Drugs and Related Professions 
  • Section 1: Definitions
  • Section 2: Advanced Pharmacy Technicians
  • Section 3: Clerk Registration
  • Section 4: Compliance Packaging
  • Section 5: Violations
  • Section 6: Pharmacy Students in an Accredited Program
  • Section 7: Fee for the Advanced Pharmacy Technician and Clerk Registration
  • Section 8: Fees for the Pharmacy Professional Assistance Program
  • Section 9: Vaccination Update
  • Section 10: Delegation of test Administration for COVID-19, Influenza and HIV to Advanced Pharmacy Technicians
  • Section 11 Task Force for Unannounced Pharmacy Closures
• Public Act 24-80 An Act Concerning the Department of Consumer Protection's Recommendations Regarding Prescription Drug Control
  • Section 1: Hypodermic needles and syringes
  • Section 2: Definitions for Pharmaceutical Marketing Firms
  • Section 3: Pharmaceutical Marketing Firm Clarifications
  • Section 4: Pharmaceutical Marketing Firm Clarifications
  • Section 5: Removal of "Pharmacist" from the Department of Public Health Discipline
  • Section 7: Access to Records for Controlled Substances Prescriptions

2023

• Public Act 23-19 An Act Concerning Pharmacies and Pharmacists
  • Section 1: Definition Updates
  • Section 2: Pharmacist COVID, Influenza and HIV testing, HIV Prophylaxis Treatment Regulations
  • Section 3: Mobile Pharmacy
  • Section 4: Unscheduled Pharmacy Closing Plans, Pharmacy Pick-Up Lockers
  • Section 5: Pharmacist Immunization Update and Epinephrine Use
  • Section 6-8: Institutional Pharmacy License 
• Public Act 23-31 An Act Concerning the Department of Public Health's Recommendations Regarding Various Revisions to the Public Health Statutes 
  • Section 18: Removal of reciprocal discipline solely for termination of pregnancy
• Public Act 23-39 An Act Requiring Discharge Standards Regarding Follow-Up Appointments and Prescription Medications for Patients Being Discharged from a Hospital or Nursing Home Facility
• Public Act 23-52 An Act Concerning the Department of Consumer Protection's Recommendations Regarding Prescription Drug Regulation
  • Section 1: Centralized Dispensing Practitioner
  • Section 2: Pharmacist Prescribing of Legend Devices
  • Section 3: Pharmacist Prescribing of Hormonal Contraception and Emergency Contraception
  • Section 4: Pharmacist Discipline for the Termination of Pregnancy
  • Section 5 & 7: Flavoring Exemption from USP 800
  • Section 6: Sale of Non-Legend (Over-the-Counter) Drugs in Vending Machines
  • Section 9: Addition of Sterile and Non-Sterile Product to the Prohibited Acts in 21a-93
  • Section 12: Adding Naloxone to Secure Boxes, Syringe Service Vending Machines, or a Standalone Vending Machine as well as a test strip for the purpose of individual use 
  • Section 13: Permitting the use of Telemedicine for Medical Marijuana Certifications
• Public Act 23-97 An Act Concerning Health and Wellness for Connecticut Residents
  • Section 5: Distribution of opioid antagonists by emergency medical services
  • Section 6: Encouraging individuals with opioid prescriptions to obtain an opioid antagonist
• Public Act 23-204 An Act Concerning the State Budget for the Biennium Ending June 30, 2025, and making Appropriations therefor, and Provisions Related to Revenue and Other items Implementing the State Budget
  • Section 262-270:  Participation by Pharmacist and Interns in HAVEN's Assistance Program
• Public Act 23-100: An Act Concerning the Safe Storage and Disposal of Certain Prescription Drugs, Illegal Drugs and Cannabis and Cannabis Products.
• Public Act 23-171: An Act Protecting Patients and Prohibiting Unnecessary Health Care Costs
  • Section 2: Notice about drug patent expiration by DCP and UCONN School of Pharmacy
  • Section 3-6: Licensing of Pharmaceutical Marketing Firms
    
    
• Regulations:  Drug Schedule Updates (February 10, 2023)

2022

• Public Act 22-80 An Act Concerning Childhood Mental and Physical Health Services in Schools
  
  • Section 7: Opioid antagonist administration by school personnel
  • Section 9: Distribution of opioid antagonists to a local or regional board of education
• Public Act 22-81 An Act Expanding Preschool and Mental and Behavioral Services for Children
  • Section 19: Safe storage and disposal of prescription drugs
  • Section 20: Safe storage and disposal of cannabis and cannabis products
  • Section 32: Telehealth extension
• Public Act 22-92 An Act Concerning Various Revisions to the Public Health Statutes
  • Section 24: Administration of influenza vaccine to persons between the ages of 12 and 17
• Public Act 22-108 An Act Concerning Opioids
  • Section 2: Excluding certain test types and uses from being included in Drug Paraphernalia (fentanyl test strips, etc.)
  • Section 3: Transportation of controlled substances by practitioners
• Public Act 22-118: An Act Adjusting the State Budget for the Biennium Ending June 30,2023, Concerning Provisions Related to Revenue, School Construction and Other Items to Implement the State Budget and Authorizing and Adjusting Bonds of the State.
  • Section 69-70: Collaborative Drug Therapy Management
  • Section 71: Pharmacist License Renewal
• Regulations: Shared Pharmacy Services (Effective February 18, 2022)

2021

• Public Act 21-9 An Act Concerning Telehealth
  • Section 7: Medical Marijuana
• Public Act 21-37 An Act Concerning Department of Consumer Protection Licensing And Enforcement, Antitrust Issues and the Palliative Use of Marijuana and Revisions to the Liquor Control Act
• Public Act 21-182 Veterinarians are exempt from reporting insulin drugs, glucagon drugs, diabetes devices and diabetic ketoacidosis devices for animal patients

• Public Act 21-192 An Act Concerning Various Pharmacy Statutes
  • Section 1: Definition Updates
  • Section 2: Automated Prescription Dispensing Machine
  • Section 3: Syringe Services Machines
  • Section 4: Collaborative Drug Therapy Management Changes
  • Section 5: Outpatient Treatment Program Data in the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program

2020

• Public Act 20-2 An Act Concerning Telehealth
  • Section 2: Transfer of unfilled prescriptions for Schedule II, III, IV, and V medication
    
    
• Public Act 20-4 An Act Concerning Diabetes and High Deductible Health Plans
  • Section 3: Pharmacist can prescribe insulin drugs, glucagon drugs, diabetes devices or ketoacidosis devices in certain circumstances
  • Section 4: Notice to Pharmacies
  • Section 5: Uploading  insulin drugs, glucagon drugs, diabetes devices or ketoacidosis devices to the PDMP

2019

• Public Act 19-191 An Act Addressing Opioid Use
  • Section 1: Pharmacist Counseling
  • Section 3: Pharmacy Technician Delegate in the Connecticut Prescription Monitoring and Reporting System
  • Section 4: Suspicious Order Monitoring
  • Section 6: Pain Agreements/Care Plan for Treatment of Pain with Opioids for Greater than 12 weeks
  • Section 7: Naloxone at Institutions of Higher Education
• Public Act 19-19 An Act Concerning Epinephrine Auto Injectors (Effective From Passage)
• Public Act 19-177 An Act Making Changes to Department of Consumer Protection Enforcement Statutes
  • Section 28: Sterile Compounding
  • Section 29: Pharmacy to report legal action commenced by federal or state agency
  • Section 30: Classification of Connecticut Controlled Substances
  • Section 31: Marijuana Products Schedule Changes
• Public Act 19-98 An Act Concerning the Scope of Practice of Advanced Practice Registered Nurses
  • Section 22 and 23: Advanced practice registered nurses and collaborative drug therapy management
• Public Act 19-38 An Act Concerning Increasing the Penalties for Sale of Fentanyl
• Public Act 19-13 An Act Concerning the Sale of Cigarettes, Tobacco Products, Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems and Vapor Products to Persons Under Age Twenty-One

2018

• Public Act 18-166 (Effective 7/1/2018)
  • Section 2: Self and Family Prescribing of Controlled Substances Limitation
  • Section 3: Naloxone Distribution Agreements
•  Public Act 18-148 (Effective 7/1/18) 
  • Section 1: Telehealth - expansion to add controlled substances for a psychiatric disability or substance use disorder
  • Section 2: Prevents practitioners using telehealth from receiving a waiver from electronic prescribing of controlled substances
• Public Act 18-74 (Effective 10/1/2018) - Biologic products 
• Public Act 18-16 (Effective 1/1/19) 
  • Section 1: Penalty per violation of the chapter
  • Section 2: Fees for filing changes for Non-Resident Pharmacies
  • Section 3: Suspicious order reporting for Manufacturers and Wholesalers
  • Section 4: Annually controlled substance inventory
  • Section 5: Perpetual inventory for Schedule II medications with monthly reconciliation
  • Section 6: Sterile compounding 

2017

• Public Act 17-131 An Act Preventing Prescription Opioid Diversion and Abuse
  • Section 1: Data Sharing
  • Section 2: Drug destruction 
  • Section 3: Electronic Prescribing of Controlled Substances
  • Section 4: Voluntary nonopioid directive form
  • Section 5: Prescribing of Opioids update
  • Section 6: Medication assisted treatment
  • Section 12: Naloxone standing order

• Public Act No. 16-43 An Act Concerning Opioids and Access to Overdose Reversal Drugs.
  • Section 1: Naloxone prescribing, dispensing and administration update
  • Section 7: Prescribing of Opioids (7 day limit)
  • Section 8: Agent of the prescriber (Prescription Monitoring Program) 
  • Section 9: Prescription Monitoring Program (daily reporting, veterinary uploads, agent of the prescriber)
• Manufacturer APRN Expenditure Reporting
• Medical Marijuana FAQs
• Ban on the Sale of Synthetic Drug Products
• Retailer Advisory on the Sale of Imported Food and Drug Products
• Brochure: Medication Drop-Box Program
• Towns with Prescription Drop Boxes
• Proper Disposal of Prescription Medication
• Guidance letter for the Act Concerning the Storage and Administration of Epinephrine at Public Schools

• HYDROCODONE MOVES TO SCHEDULE II
  • Prescriptions issued before October 6, 2014:   October 6, 2014/April 8, 2015 :  Any prescriptions for HCPs that are issued before October 6, 2014, and authorized for refilling, may be dispensed in accordance with 21 CFR 1306.22-1306.23, 1306.25, and 1306.27, if such dispensing occurs before April 8, 2015.
  • Prescriptions issued on or after October 6, 2014 :  October 6: 2014 :  No prescription for HCPs issued on or after October 6, 2014 shall authorize any refills. 

• Prescription Drug: Misuse and Abuse