Vermont Statutes Title 18 Sec. 4218
Terms Used In Vermont Statutes Title 18 Sec. 4218
- Department: means the Department of Health. See
- Federal drug laws: means the laws of the United States relating to one or more of those drugs which are defined in this chapter as regulated drugs. See
- Person: includes an individual, partnership, corporation, association, trust, or other institution or entity. See
- Pharmacy: means any place registered as such by the Board of Pharmacy in which drugs, prescriptions, or poisons are possessed for the purpose of compounding, dispensing, or retailing, or in which drugs, prescriptions, or poisons are compounded, dispensed, or retailed, or in which such drugs, prescriptions, or poisons are by advertising or otherwise offered for sale at retail and which has a license issued to it under this chapter authorizing the retail dealing of regulated drugs. See
- Prescription: means an order for a regulated drug made by a physician, physician assistant, advanced practice registered nurse, dentist, or veterinarian licensed under this chapter to prescribe such a drug which shall be in writing except as otherwise specified in this subdivision. See
- State: when applied to the different parts of the United States may apply to the District of Columbia and any territory and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. See
§ 4218. Enforcement
(a) It is hereby made the duty of the Department of Public Safety, its officers, agents, inspectors, and representatives, and pursuant to its specific authorization any other peace officer within the State, and of all State’s Attorneys, to enforce all provisions of this chapter and of the rules of the Department of Health adopted under this chapter, except those otherwise specifically delegated, and to cooperate with all agencies charged with the enforcement of the federal drug laws, this chapter, and the laws of other states relating to regulated drugs.
(b) Such authorities and their specifically authorized agents shall have, at all times, access to all orders, prescriptions, and records kept or maintained under this chapter, as provided herein.
(c) A person who gives information to law enforcement officers, the Drug Rehabilitation Commission, Department of Health, or professional boards as defined in section 4201 of this title and their specifically authorized agents, concerning the use of regulated drugs or the misuse by other persons of regulated drugs, shall not be subject to any civil, criminal, or administrative liability or penalty for giving such information.
(d) Nothing in this section shall authorize the Department of Public Safety and other authorities described in subsection (a) of this section to have access to VPMS (Vermont Prescription Monitoring System) created pursuant to chapter 84A of this title, except as provided in that chapter.
(e) The Department of Public Safety, in consultation with representatives of licensed Vermont pharmacies, shall adopt standard operating guidelines for accessing pharmacy records through the authority granted in this section. Any person authorized to access pharmacy records pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall follow the Department of Public Safety’s guidelines. These guidelines shall be a public record. (Added 1967, No. 343 (Adj. Sess.), § 18, eff. March 23, 1968; amended 1969, No. 203 (Adj. Sess.), § 2; 1991, No. 167 (Adj. Sess.), § 64; 2005, No. 205 (Adj. Sess.), § 2; 2013, No. 75, § 4; 2017, No. 113 (Adj. Sess.), § 79; 2023, No. 53, § 113, eff. June 8, 2023.)