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SB26-031 • 2026

Use of Prescription Product with Controlled Substance

The act exempts from schedule I a prescription drug product containing a schedule I controlled substance (product) if the product is: Approved for prescription use by the United States food and drug a

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Sen. W. Lindstedt, Sen. J. Rich, Rep. S. Camacho, Rep. M. Soper, Sen. J. Bridges, Sen. J. Coleman, Sen. N. Hinrichsen, Rep. J. Bacon, Rep. A. Boesenecker, Rep. B. Bradley, Rep. K. Brown, Rep. M. Duran, Rep. S. Lieder, Rep. K. Nguyen, Rep. M. Rutinel, Rep. G. Rydin, Rep. R. Stewart
Last action
2026-04-20
Official status
Governor Signed
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Use of Prescription Product with Controlled Substance

The act exempts from schedule I a prescription drug product containing a schedule I controlled substance (product) if the product is: Approved for prescription use by the United States food and drug administration; Designated or rescheduled by the United States drug enforcement agency (DEA); Dispensed by a pharmacy or prescription drug outlet, or administered by an authorized practitioner; and Possessed by a person who is authorized to possess a controlled substance.

What This Bill Does

  • The act exempts from schedule I a prescription drug product containing a schedule I controlled substance (product) if the product is: Approved for prescription use by the United States food and drug administration; Designated or rescheduled by the United States drug enforcement agency (DEA); Dispensed by a pharmacy or prescription drug outlet, or administered by an authorized practitioner; and Possessed by a person who is authorized to possess a controlled substance.
  • The exemption applies upon the DEA's designation or rescheduling.
  • The act requires that the product be controlled in Colorado in the same manner as the product is controlled by the DEA and state law.
  • The act clarifies that its provisions do not apply to or affect the regulation of or lawful actions or conduct concerning natural medicine, natural medicine product, marijuana, or marijuana concentrate.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

L.003

HOU Health & Human Services

Passed [*]

Plain English: SB031_L.003 HOUSE COMMITTEE OF REFERENCE AMENDMENT Committee on Health & Human Services.

  • SB031_L.003 HOUSE COMMITTEE OF REFERENCE AMENDMENT Committee on Health & Human Services.
  • SB26-031 be amended as follows: 1 Amend reengrossed bill, page 2, strike line 22 and substitute 2 "PRACTITIONER, AS DEFINED IN SECTION 18-18-102 (29); AND".
  • 3 Page 3, line 27, strike "12-170-104." and substitute "18-18-434 (12)(b).".
  • 4 Page 4, line 2, strike "12-170-104." and substitute "18-18-434 (12)(c).".
L.004

HOU Health & Human Services

Passed [*]

Plain English: SB031_L.004 HOUSE COMMITTEE OF REFERENCE AMENDMENT Committee on Health & Human Services.

  • SB031_L.004 HOUSE COMMITTEE OF REFERENCE AMENDMENT Committee on Health & Human Services.
  • SB26-031 be amended as follows: 1 Amend reengrossed bill, page 2, line 9, strike "I." and substitute "I - 2 definitions.".
  • 3 Page 4, after line 2 insert: 4 "(e) (I) NOTHING IN THIS SUBSECTION (3) RESTRICTS OR 5 OTHERWISE AFFECTS THE REGULATION OF OR ACCESS TO MARIJUANA OR 6 MARIJUANA CONCENTRATE THAT IS AUTHORIZED PURSUANT TO SECTIONS 7 14 AND 16 OF ARTICLE XVIII OF THE STATE CONSTITUTION.
  • 8 (II) AS USED IN THIS SUBSECTION (3)(e), UNLESS THE CONTEXT 9 OTHERWISE REQUIRES: 10 (A) "MARIJUANA" HAS THE MEANING SET FORTH IN SECTION 11 18-18-102 (18).
L.001

SEN Health & Human Services

Passed [*]

Plain English: SB031_L.001 SENATE COMMITTEE OF REFERENCE AMENDMENT Committee on Health & Human Services.

  • SB031_L.001 SENATE COMMITTEE OF REFERENCE AMENDMENT Committee on Health & Human Services.
  • SB26-031 be amended as follows: 1 Amend printed bill, page 2, strike line 14 and substitute: 2 "PRESCRIPTION DRUG PRODUCT IS: 3 (I) APPROVED FOR PRESCRIPTION USE BY THE".
  • 4 Page 2, line 18, strike "1308." and substitute "1308;" 5 Page 2, after line 18 insert: 6 "(II) DISPENSED BY A PHARMACY OR PRESCRIPTION DRUG OUTLET 7 REGISTERED BY THE STATE OF COLORADO, OR ADMINISTERED BY A 8 PHYSICIAN LICENSED PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 240 OF TITLE 12; AND 9 (III) POSSESSED ONLY BY A PERSON AUTHORIZED TO POSSESS A 10 CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE PURSUANT TO SECTION 18-18-302.".
  • 11 Page 3, line 2, strike "1308." and substitute "1308, THE PROVISIONS SET 12 FORTH IN PART 1 OF ARTICLE 280 OF TITLE 12, AND PART 3 OF THIS ARTICLE 13 18.
L.002

Second Reading

Passed [**]

Plain English: SB031_L.002 Amendment No.

  • SB031_L.002 Amendment No.
  • ___________ SB26-031 SENATE FLOOR AMENDMENT Second Reading BY SENATOR Lindstedt & Rich 1 Amend printed bill, page 3, before line 9 insert: 2 "(d) (I) THIS SUBSECTION (3) DOES NOT APPLY TO, OR AFFECT THE 3 REGULATION OF OR LAWFUL ACTIONS OR CONDUCT CONCERNING: 4 (A) NATURAL MEDICINE OR NATURAL MEDICINE PRODUCT; 5 (B) THE REGULATION OF OR LAWFUL ACTIONS OR CONDUCT 6 PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 170 OF TITLE 12; OR 7 (C) THE REGULATION OF OR LAWFUL ACTIONS OR CONDUCT 8 PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 50 OF TITLE 44.
  • 9 (II) AS USED IN THIS SUBSECTION (3), UNLESS THE CONTEXT 10 OTHERWISE REQUIRES: 11 (A) "NATURAL MEDICINE" HAS THE MEANING SET FORTH IN 12 SECTION 12-170-104.
  • 13 (B) "NATURAL MEDICINE PRODUCT" HAS THE MEANING SET FORTH 14 IN SECTION 12-170-104.".

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-20 Governor

    Governor Signed

  2. 2026-04-08 Governor

    Sent to the Governor

  3. 2026-04-07 House

    Signed by the Speaker of the House

  4. 2026-04-07 Senate

    Signed by the President of the Senate

  5. 2026-04-06 Senate

    Senate Considered House Amendments - Result was to Concur - Repass

  6. 2026-04-02 House

    House Third Reading Passed - No Amendments

  7. 2026-03-31 House

    House Third Reading Laid Over Daily - No Amendments

  8. 2026-03-30 House

    House Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee

  9. 2026-03-25 House

    House Committee on Health & Human Services Refer Amended to House Committee of the Whole

  10. 2026-02-25 House

    Introduced In House - Assigned to Health & Human Services

  11. 2026-02-24 Senate

    Senate Third Reading Passed - No Amendments

  12. 2026-02-23 Senate

    Senate Second Reading Passed with Amendments - Committee, Floor

  13. 2026-02-18 Senate

    Senate Second Reading Laid Over to 02/23/2026 - No Amendments

  14. 2026-02-12 Senate

    Senate Committee on Health & Human Services Refer Amended to Senate Committee of the Whole

  15. 2026-02-04 Senate

    Senate Committee on Health & Human Services Witness Testimony and/or Committee Discussion Only

  16. 2026-01-22 Senate

    Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Health & Human Services

Official Summary Text

The act exempts from schedule I a prescription drug product containing a schedule I controlled substance (product) if the product is:
Approved for prescription use by the United States food and drug administration;
Designated or rescheduled by the United States drug enforcement agency (DEA);
Dispensed by a pharmacy or prescription drug outlet, or administered by an authorized practitioner; and
Possessed by a person who is authorized to possess a controlled substance.
The exemption applies upon the DEA's designation or rescheduling.
The act requires that the product be controlled in Colorado in the same manner as the product is controlled by the DEA and state law.
The act clarifies that its provisions do not apply to or affect the regulation of or lawful actions or conduct concerning natural medicine, natural medicine product, marijuana, or marijuana concentrate.
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)