Arkansas Code of 1987 (2023) › Title 20 - PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE (§§ 20-2-101 — 20-86-113) › Subtitle 4 - FOOD, DRUGS, AND COSMETICS (§§ 20-56-201 — 20-64-1103) › Chapter 64 - ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE (§§ 20-64-101 — 20-64-1103) › Subchapter 2 - UNIFORM NARCOTIC DRUG ACT (§§ 20-64-201 — 20-64-226) › Section 20-64-205 - Sale on written orders

(1)
A duly licensed manufacturer or wholesaler may sell and dispense narcotic drugs to any of the following persons, but only on official written orders:
(a)
To a manufacturer, wholesaler, or apothecary;
(b)
To a physician, dentist, or veterinarian;
(c)
To a person in charge of a hospital, but only for use by or in that hospital;
(d)
To a person in charge of a laboratory, but only for use in that laboratory for scientific and medical purposes.
(2)
A duly licensed manufacturer or wholesaler may sell narcotic drugs to any of the following persons:
(a)
On a special written order accompanied by a certificate of exemption, as required by the federal narcotic laws, to a person in the employ of the United States Government or of any state, territorial, district, county, municipal, or insular government, purchasing, receiving, possessing, or dispensing narcotic drugs by reason of his official duties;
(b)
To a master of a ship or a person in charge of any aircraft upon which no physician is regularly employed, or to a physician or surgeon duly licensed in some state, territory, or the District of Columbia, to practice his profession, or to a retired commissioned medical officer of the United States Army, the United States Navy, or the United States Public Health Service employed upon such ship or aircraft, for the actual medical needs of persons on board of such ship or aircraft, when not in port. Provided: Such narcotic drugs shall be sold to the master of such ship or person in charge of such aircraft or to a physician, surgeon, or retired commissioned medical officer of the United States Army, the United States Navy, or the United States Public Health Service employed upon such ship or aircraft only in pursuance of a special order form approved by a commissioned medical officer or acting assistant surgeon of the United States Public Health Service;
(c)
To a person in a foreign country if the provisions of the federal narcotic laws are complied with.
(3)
Use of Official Written Orders.
An official written order for any narcotic drug shall be signed in quadruplicate by the person giving said order or his duly authorized agent. The original shall be presented to the person who sells or dispenses the narcotic drug or drugs named therein, and one (1) copy shall be sent to the Secretary of the Department of Health not later than the 10th of the month following the month during which the order was made. In event of the acceptance of such order by said person, each party to the transaction shall preserve his copy of such order for a period of two (2) years in such a way as to be readily accessible for inspection by any public officer or employee engaged in the enforcement of this subchapter. It shall be deemed a compliance with this subsection if the parties to the transaction have complied with the federal narcotic laws, respecting the requirements governing the use of order forms, and the purchaser has sent a signed copy of the order to the secretary as aforesaid.
(4)
Possession Lawful.
Possession of or control of narcotic drugs obtained as authorized by this section shall be lawful if in the regular course of business, occupation, profession, employment, or duty of the possessor.
(5)
A person in charge of a hospital or of a laboratory, or in the employ of this state or of any other state, or of any political subdivisions thereof, or a master of a ship or a person in charge of any aircraft upon which no physician is regularly employed, or a physician or surgeon duly licensed in some state, territory, or the District of Columbia, to practice his profession, or a retired commissioned medical officer of the United States Army, the United States Navy, or the United States Public Health Service employed upon such ship or aircraft who obtains narcotic drugs under the provisions of this section or otherwise, shall not administer nor dispense nor otherwise use such drugs, within this state, except within the scope of his employment or official duty, and then only for scientific or medicinal purposes and subject to the provisions of this subchapter.
Amended by Act 2019, No. 910,§ 5092, eff. 7/1/2019.
Acts 1937, No. 344, § 5; Pope's Dig., § 10130; Acts 1941, No. 324, §§ 3, 4; 1961, No. 417, § 1; A.S.A. 1947, § 82-1005.