SENATE BILL REPORT

                                   SSB 6191

                      AS PASSED SENATE, FEBRUARY 12, 1992

Brief Description:  Updating the schedules of drugs that the board of pharmacy has authority to control.

SPONSORS: Senate Committee on Health & Long‑Term Care (originally sponsored by Senators West, Vognild, Sellar, Murray and L. Smith)

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH & LONG‑TERM CARE

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6191 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass. 

      Signed by Senators West, Chairman; L. Smith, Vice Chairman; Amondson, M. Kreidler, Newhouse, Niemi, and Wojahn.

Staff:  Martin Lovinger (786‑7443)

Hearing Dates: February 5, 1992; February 6, 1992

BACKGROUND:

In November, 1991 the Board of Pharmacy changed the schedules of certain controlled substances by rule.  The RCW does not reflect those changes.  It is felt by some that the RCW should be updated to reflect the changes made by rule and also to bring state law into compliance with federal law even though the RCW specifically permits such changes to be made by rule without changing the statute.  It is also felt that alternatives should be stated more clearly and that classification standards should be clarified.

SUMMARY:

Changes to the controlled substances schedules are added to the RCW to reflect changes made by rule and by the federal government.  Anabolic steroids which have become a controlled substance, are added to Schedule III.  Alternative names for some controlled substances are made more specific.  The standards for classifying drugs are clarified.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  available

TESTIMONY FOR:

This is a housekeeping bill that clarifies the procedure for adding controlled substances to the schedules without changing any policies.  The Board of Pharmacy supports the concept of this bill.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  Steve Lindstrom, Washington State Pharmacists Association; Don Williams, Director, Board of Pharmacy, DOH