HB923: HB923 Pharmacies; furnish patients with written informational material when dispensing certain prescription drugs; require

Georgia law currently does not require pharmacies to explain the risks of unused or expired prescription drugs or to offer disposal options when handing out controlled substances. House Bill 923 would change that by adding a new section to the state's pharmacy law (O.C.G.A. Article 6 of Chapter 4 of Title 26). Under the bill, pharmacies dispensing Schedule II controlled substances, and any other drugs the state pharmacy board designates, would have to give patients written material explaining the dangers of improper disposal, such as theft, accidental ingestion by children, and environmental harm. Pharmacists would have to answer questions about this material. Pharmacies would also have to offer at least one way to safely dispose of leftover medication at home, either a deactivation product or a secured drop box meeting federal Drug Enforcement Administration standards. These requirements would apply to every prescription fill, refill, or renewal, for both new and returning customers.

• Requires pharmacies dispensing Schedule II controlled substances (and any other drugs the state pharmacy board designates) to give patients written material about the risks of improperly disposing of unused drugs.
• Requires pharmacists or their designees to answer patient questions about that written material at the time of dispensing.
• Requires pharmacies to make available, for purchase or free, at least one method for patients to safely dispose of unused, unwanted, or expired prescription drugs at home.
• Sets technical standards for home disposal products, requiring them to neutralize the drug's active ingredients and be nontoxic to patients and the environment.
• Requires secured medication collection boxes and their manufacturers to follow federal Drug Enforcement Administration disposal rules (21 C.F.R. Part 1317) and federal hazardous waste incineration standards.
• Applies these requirements to every prescription order, whether it is an initial fill, a renewal, or a refill, and to both new and returning pharmacy customers.

Georgia pharmacies and pharmacists that dispense Schedule II controlled substances and other drugs the state pharmacy board designates, patients who receive those prescriptions, and manufacturers or suppliers of home drug disposal products and secured medication collection boxes.

Patients picking up certain prescriptions would get direct information on safely disposing of leftover medication and access to a disposal method, which could reduce accidental ingestion, theft, or environmental contamination from drugs left in homes, while adding new compliance duties for pharmacies.

• New Code Section 26-4-120 requires pharmacies to provide written informational material about disposal risks when dispensing Schedule II drugs or other board-designated drugs (subsection (a)(1)).
• Pharmacists or their designees must be available to answer patient questions about the written material (subsection (a)(1)(B)).
• Pharmacies must offer at least one consumer disposal method onsite, such as a nonprescription in-home solution or a secured collection receptacle (subsection (a)(2)).
• Subsection (b) sets standards for home disposal products, requiring them to be nontoxic, alter the drug's chemical structure, and reduce environmental exposure.
• Secured collection boxes must comply with Drug Enforcement Administration regulations (21 C.F.R. Part 1317) as they exist on July 1, 2025, and be marked with prominent signage (subsection (b)(2)).
• Manufacturers, suppliers, and servicing agents of collection programs must follow federal hazardous waste incineration rules under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (subsection (b)(4)).
• Subsection (c) clarifies the requirements apply to all prescription orders regardless of whether they are new, renewed, or refilled, and to any customer.
• Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-01-12House Second Readers (House)
2. 2025-04-04House First Readers (House)
3. 2025-04-04House Hopper (House)

• Leesa Hagan (R, HD-156)Primary sponsor
• Deborah Silcox (R, HD-053)
• Jordan Ridley (R, HD-022)
• Matthew Gambill (R, HD-015)

• prescription drug disposal
• pharmacy regulation
• controlled substances
• opioid safety
• drug take-back programs