Taiwan pharmacist warns of thin line between controlled drugs and illegal narcotics

A pharmacist from Taipei City Hospital is sounding the alarm about the fine line separating controlled medications from illegal drugs, warning that improper handling or distribution can lead to serious legal trouble.

Hong Yi-chi, a pharmacist at the hospital's Renai Branch, explained that controlled substances are subject to the "Controlled Drugs Management Act." These include addictive narcotics and psychotropic drugs, designated for medical and scientific purposes only. The critical issue, she noted, is that these drugs can easily become associated with addiction, abuse, or social harm if their purpose or acquisition method is misused, potentially leading to imprisonment.

All controlled medications in Taiwan require a prescription from a physician. According to Article 10 of the "Controlled Drugs Management Act," for first to third-class controlled substances, physicians must issue a special prescription, and the recipient must sign for it after verifying their identity. Hong stressed that individuals who illegally obtain, abuse, transfer, manufacture, or sell these drugs risk violating the "Drug Hazard Prevention Act."

To ensure medication safety, Hong urged the public to adhere strictly to their doctor's instructions and to dispose of leftover or expired medications properly. She advised returning them through designated channels at medical institutions or community pharmacies, rather than discarding them casually or sharing them with others. She also outlined five core competencies for safe medication use: clearly expressing one's physical condition, understanding medication labels, knowing how and when to take medication, being in control of one's body, and building good relationships with doctors and pharmacists.