approved medications; scheduling; prescription authority

Plain English Breakdown

The official source states the bill becomes effective on the 'general effective date' but does not specify a calendar date.

SB1188: Aligning Arizona Drug Schedules with Federal Rules

This law automatically assigns the same drug schedule in Arizona as the federal government for any medicine approved by the FDA and scheduled by the DEA, without needing extra steps from state officials.

What This Bill Does

• Assigns any compound, mixture, or preparation approved by the FDA and scheduled by the DEA to the exact same schedule under Arizona law.
• Allows these drugs to be prescribed in Arizona if they are not listed as Schedule I substances under federal law.
• Makes this scheduling happen automatically without requiring further action from the Arizona State Board of Pharmacy.
• Applies even if other state laws about controlled substances say something different.

Who It Names or Affects

• The Arizona State Board of Pharmacy
• Healthcare providers who prescribe medications in Arizona
• Pharmacies and others handling controlled substances

Terms To Know

Schedule I substance

A drug classified by the federal government as having no accepted medical use, which cannot be prescribed.

FDA approval

The process where the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approves a medicine for safety and effectiveness.

DEA scheduling

The system used by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to group drugs based on their risk of abuse and medical value.

Limits and Unknowns

• This law only applies to compounds, mixtures, or preparations that have already been approved by the FDA.
• The specific date this law takes effect is not listed in the text provided; it follows the general effective date for laws.

Official Summary Text

SB1188 - 572R - Senate Fact Sheet

Assigned to
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COMMITTEE

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Fifty-Seventh
Legislature, Second Regular Session

FACT SHEET FOR
S.B. 1188

approved medications;
scheduling; prescription authority

Purpose

Aligns Arizona
controlled substance schedules with federal scheduling by specifying that any
compound, mixture or preparation approved by the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration

(FDA) and scheduled or rescheduled by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration
(DEA) is assigned the same schedule under Arizona law and may be prescribed if
not listed as a Schedule I substance.

Background

The federal
Controlled Substances Act (CSA) classifies regulated substances into one of
five schedules based on a substance�s medical use, potential for abuse and risk
of dependence. Under federal law, substances approved by the FDA and scheduled
or rescheduled through the DEA are assigned a federal schedule pursuant to the
CSA (
U.S.
DEA
; 21 U.S.C. ��
355

and
811
).

Current statute
directs the Arizona State Board of Pharmacy (Board) to adopt the DEA's federal
schedules under Board rule and to amend the rules as necessary to reflect any
federal drug schedule changes (A.R.S. ��
36-2512
,

36-2513
,

36-2514
,

36-2515

and
36-2516
).

There is no
anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this
legislation.

Provisions

1.

Specifies
that, regardless of any other statutes relating to controlled substances and
without any further action by the Board:

a)

any compound, mixture or preparation that is approved by the FDA and
scheduled or rescheduled by the DEA is assigned the identical schedule under
Arizona law; and

b)

any
compound, mixture or preparation that is approved by the FDA and scheduled or
rescheduled by the DEA to a schedule other than Schedule I of the CSA is a
controlled substance under Arizona law and may be prescribed.

2.

Becomes effective on the general effective date.

Prepared by Senate Research

January 26, 2026

MM/hk

Current Bill Text

Chapter 0216 - 572R - S Ver of SB1188

Senate Engrossed

approved medications;
scheduling; prescription authority

State of Arizona

Senate

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

CHAPTER 216

SENATE BILL 1188

AN
ACT

Amending title 36, chapter 27, article 2,
Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 36-2517.03; relating to the
Arizona state board of pharmacy.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Title 36, chapter 27, article 2,
Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 36-2517.03, to read:

START_STATUTE
36-2517.03.

United States food and drug administration; approved medications;
scheduling; prescription authority

Notwithstanding any other provision of this
chapter to the contrary, without any further action by the board:

1. Any compound, mixture or preparation
that is approved by the United States food and drug administration and that is
scheduled or rescheduled by the United States drug enforcement administration
is assigned the identical schedule under this chapter.

2. Any compound, mixture or
preparation that is approved by the United States food and drug administration
and that is scheduled or rescheduled by the United States drug enforcement
administration to a schedule other than schedule I of the controlled substances
act (P.L. 91-513; 84 Stat. 1242; 21 United States Code sections 801
through 904) is A controlled substance for the purposes of this chapter and may
be prescribed in this state.
END_STATUTE

APPROVED BY THE GOVERNOR JUNE 22, 2026.

FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE JUNE 22, 2026.