Utahns legally purchasing controlled substances may soon have to show a picture ID as well as a prescription form.
Gov. Norm Bangerter Thursday asked all Utah pharmacists to require positive identification, such as a driver's license, before a prescription for controlled substances can be filled.Controlled substances are legal narcotic, hallucinogenic, stimulant or depressant drugs that have a higher potential for abuse and dependency than other drugs.
They're used by many Utahns.
During the second quarter of 1988, Utah ranked among the top five states in the nation in the purchase of three of the eight substances often abused and most closely monitored by state and federal authorities.
Utah ranked first in the nation in the distribution of methamphetamine and methylphenidate per capita and second in the nation in amphetamine distribution per capita.
The state, which has taken many aggressive measures recently to control drug abuse, has the support of DuPont Pharmaceuticals, whose officials were on hand Thursday to help launch the new program.
"DuPont is very concerned about the misuse of legitimate drugs, so we were very anxious to cooperate with Utah pharmacists in instituting the program," said Ed Hessel, regional manager of state government affairs for DuPont Pharmaceuticals. "We feel that this program will send a strong message to all Utahns that it will be much more difficult to steal or forge prescriptions and have them filled."
The company is helping sponsor the program by donating signs to all pharmacies in the state, which read: "We verify all controlled substance prescriptions _ positive ID required."
"This program is a major step forward in the prevention of prescription drug abuse," Bangerter said. "I believe many abusers will be intimidated by the signs and will not find it as easy to purchase prescription drugs for illegal purposes."
Bangerter said sophisticated abusers forge prescriptions on legitimate-looking office pads.
"When pharmacists require positive identification by their customers, they will be protecting themselves against selling to potential drug abusers," he said.
The voluntary program has the support of the state Department of Commerce, the state Board of Pharmacy and the Utah Pharmaceutical Association.
C. Neil Jensen, association executive director, said the incidence of people writing illegal prescriptions to gain narcotics is sporadic.
"It goes in spurts and sometimes it is just one individual; sometimes an organized group," he said. "However, until they are apprehended or the stores receive notice by the Pharmacy Alert Phone Program, they can cause some real problems."
Jensen emphasized that pharmacists "want to continue to provide the best service for the legitimate customer.
"In order to do that, we are having to monitor those who are not legitimate."
The governor's new program comes in the wake of an effort by pharmacists to reduce the abuse of Robitussin-DM by Utah youths. At the urging of the Utah Pharmaceutical Association, many pharmacists have removed the popular cough syrup from the shelves.
In many stores it can now be obtained only by requesting it from the pharmacist. Some grocery stores are storing it behind camera bars; others have discontinued stocking it because of skyrocketing thefts.