Drug Control Division

**IMPORTANT**  No later than January 1, 2024, each pharmacy shall affix a fluorescent orange sticker or label to each container or packaging in which a controlled substance in schedule II, III, IV or V, is sold or dispensed stating, "Danger to children. Keep out of reach." To download a sample sticker, click here.
The Drug Control Division works to protect the health and safety of Connecticut residents by regulating all persons and firms involved in the distribution of all legal drugs, medical devices and cosmetics in Connecticut. The Division oversees Connecticut licensing for pharmacies, pharmacists, controlled substance providers and laboratories, pharmacy technicians, manufacturers and wholesalers of drugs, cosmetics and medical devices and medical marijuana. The Drug Control Division is also responsible for the Prescription Monitoring Program.

Adult-Use Cannabis Notification NOTICE: The Commissioner has authorized Dispensary Facilities that apply and are approved by the Department of Consumer Protection to conduct delivery services, to commence medical marijuana deliveries to qualifying patients and caregivers as of Monday, September 27, 2021.The delivery service application for Dispensary Facilities and the operational policies governing medical delivery will be forthcoming on the Department’s website.  

 Guidance Documents/Resources Live Chat is now available for the Drug Control Division during normal business hours.  Please be aware that the individual you are speaking with may direct you to different parts of the Drug Control Division to assist you with your question.  In certain instances, you may be asked to provide a phone number or email address so that the appropriate individual can review your question and respond accordingly.

Licenses, Registrations, Permits, etc. - Find all of the types of Licenses, Registration, Permits that are a part of the Drug Control Division  and more.

Commission of Pharmacy - Find meeting minutes, members and other pharmacy related information and more.

Pharmacy Complaints - Learn how to file a complaint about a pharmacy.

Preventing Prescription/Medication Errors  - Find tips for protecting yourself against prescription/medication errors.

Prescription Monitoring Program - Find information about the Connecticut Prescription Monitoring and Reporting System and more.

Medical Marijuana Program - Registration, practitioners information, qualifying conditions, frequently asked questions and more.

Registrant Resources and Guidance Documents - Find documents that may be help for different disciplines regulated by the Drug Control Division.

Law Enforcement Resources - Find general information about medication, charges and more.

Statutes and Regulations - Find law information regarding the laws that pertain to the Drug Control Division.

Certificate of Free Sale - Click here for the certificate of free sale documents required by the Drug Control Division.

 

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

  • 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. 

 Source:  Federal Register

Authority:  21 U.S.C. 829(a); 21 CFR part 1306 and subpart C of 21 CFR part 1311.   

Educational Resources for Law Enforcement, First Responders and Healthcare Personnel:
Department of Consumer Protection

450 Columbus Blvd.
Suite 901
Hartford CT 06103