Pennsylvania Pharmacies Must Now Report Drug Sales
At Worgul, Sarna & Ness, Criminal Defense Attorneys, LLC, we understand the effects of controlled substances on a person’s life and on the effects of being charged with possession of a controlled substance. If you were found to be in possession of a controlled drug in Pennsylvania and have since been charged with a drug crime, contact a drug lawyer from Worgul, Sarna & Ness, Criminal Defense Attorneys, LLC today.
Pennsylvania pharmacies have new reporting requirements as of last month. Now all Pennsylvania medical dispensers, excluding wholesalers and veterinarians, must report drug sales of schedule II, III, IV, or V drugs. These schedules of drugs cover many types of common prescription drugs including painkillers like Vicodin and codeine-containing cough suppressants such as Rubitussin-AC.
Those in favor of required reporting see these new requirements as preventing potential drug abuse and fraud by patients who have historically been prescribed a controlled substance. Those opposed, on the other hand, feel that increased government monitoring will only drive those same patients away from prescription medications and toward acquiring controlled substances through illegal means.
What Drugs Are Being Reported?
The drugs affected by last month’s requirement include schedule II, III, IV, and IV drugs. These drugs are classified according to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (USDEA) criteria as follows:
- Schedule II — Schedule II drugs are drugs, substances, or chemicals with high potential for abuse, such as Adderall, methamphetamine, methadone, OxyContin, Ritalin, and Vicodin.
- Schedule III — Schedule II drugs include drugs with moderate to low potential for abuse. Substances of this category include anabolic steroids, ketamine, testosterone, and Tylenol with codeine.
- Schedule IV — Schedule IV drugs have low potential for abuse. Drugs in this category include prescription drugs such as Ambien, Ativan, Soma, Tramadol, Valium, and Xanax.
- Schedule V — Schedule V drugs are made up of chemical substances with the lowest potential for abuse. Schedule V drugs include many common prescription drugs, including some antidiarrheals, cough suppressants, and pain medications such as Robitussin AC, Lomotil, Motofen, Lyrica, and Parepectolin.
While not all drugs in schedules II through V can be legally prescribed, many can be. To check to see if any of your prescribed medications belong to schedules II through V, have a look at USDEA’s alphabetical listing, here.
How an Experienced Drug Lawyer From Worgul, Sarna & Ness, Criminal Defense Attorneys, LLC Can Help You
Drug crimes in Pennsylvania can result in severe penalties including jail time and fines. Even being charged with possession of a controlled substance in schedule V, for example, the category of drug least likely to lead to abuse, can result in up to a year of incarceration and up to $5,000 in crimes. If you’ve been charged with possession of a controlled substance of any schedule, contact Worgul, Sarna & Ness, Criminal Defense Attorneys, LLC to speak with one of our skilled Pittsburgh criminal defense attorneys through a free, consultation today.
We’ve helped numerous individuals face and successfully fight their drug-related crime. If you’ve been charged with a drug crime or want to know more about Pennsylvania’s reporting requirements, call us at (412) 281-2146 today.