HB76 Summary

• Amends Alabama Code Sections 20-2-58 and 20-2-71 to require that practitioners and pharmacists may only knowingly prescribe, administer, or dispense controlled substances in Schedules I through V for a legitimate medical purpose in their regular professional practice.

• Prohibits distribution or dispensal of Schedule V controlled substances except for legitimate medical purposes pursuant to a prescription by a practitioner acting in the usual course of professional practice.

• Allows pharmacists to dispense Schedule II controlled substances for long-term care facility residents, hospice patients, or home health care patients in emergency situations via oral prescription, limited to 72 hours supply, with written prescription required within seven days.

• Establishes that violating the controlled substance distribution and dispensing requirements is unlawful, with first-time violations of record-keeping requirements constituting a Class A misdemeanor and subsequent convictions being Class B felonies.

• Becomes effective immediately upon passage and approval by the Governor; bill is exempt from Amendment 621 requirements because it defines a new crime and amends the definition of an existing crime.