§ 35-7-1048 — Cooperation with federal and other state agencies

(a) The state board of pharmacy and the commissioner shall
cooperate with federal and other state agencies in discharging
their responsibilities concerning traffic in controlled
substances and in suppressing the abuse of controlled
substances. To this end, they may:
(i) Arrange for the exchange of information among
governmental officials concerning the use and abuse of
controlled substances;
(ii) Coordinate and cooperate in training programs
concerning controlled substance law enforcement at local and
state levels;
(iii) Cooperate with the bureau by establishing a
centralized unit to accept, catalog, file, and collect
statistics, including records of drug dependent persons and
other controlled substance law offenders within the state, and
make the information available for federal, state, and local law
enforcement purposes. Unless otherwise provided by law, they
shall not furnish the name or identity of a patient or research
subject whose identity could not be obtained under privileged
communication acts; and
(iv) Conduct programs of eradication aimed at
destroying wild or illicit growth of plant species from which
controlled substances may be extracted.
(b) Results, information, and evidence received from the
bureau relating to the regulatory functions of this act,
including results of inspections conducted by it may be relied
and acted upon by the board or commissioner in the exercise of
the regulatory functions under this act.