§ 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.)