Controlled Substances

The administration of the Controlled Substances Act and Regulations is vested in Drug and Alcohol Services SA (DASSA) which is part of the Southern Adelaide Health Service.

 All veterinary surgeons have an obligation to comply with the Controlled Substances Act and its Regulations, and maintain responsible records, prescription, supply and storage of drugs.  Irresponsible prescribing, administration or supply could result in administrative action to remove privileges to handle these drugs. Contravention of the Act could result in prosecution and/or administrative action by DASSA, and a claim of unprofessional conduct by the Board.

Enquiries on any matters related to Controlled Substances can be made with DASSA (1300 652 584), or refer to Section 9 - Controlled Substances - in the current edition of the VSB's Handbook.

The following information is an extract from DASSA website www.dassa.sa.gov.au:

The medical use of drugs subject to abuse (drugs of dependence) in South Australia is broadly covered by the Controlled Substances Act 1984 (SA) and Controlled Substances Act (Poisons) Regulations 1996 (SA). The following information will help healthcare professionals and the general public understand the legal controls over drugs of dependence in South Australia.

The Drugs of Dependence Unit  in DASSA is responsible for administration of those parts of the Controlled Substances Act, and various regulations under the Act relating to substances of abuse, and the development of policies and guidelines to complement the legislation.

The Unit aims to ensure:

• substances subject to abuse (e.g. morphine, oxycodone, dexamphetamine) are appropriately managed when made available
• harm from these substances is minimised through the development and implementation of policy, regulatory and educational initiatives
• best practice in regulation of substances subject to abuse in South Australia

If you have any concerns or queries about your obligations as a Veterinary Surgeon, contact the office of the Registrar, or DASSA.