Guidance for licensed dealers on conducting activities with Class A precursors (CS-GD-018): Overview
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Scope
This guidance document is for people (licensed dealers) who conduct the following activities with Class A precursors:
- produce
- package
- sell or provide
- import
- export
Class A precursors (precursors), such as ephedrine, are chemicals listed in Schedule VI of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (the Act) that can be used in the production of controlled substances. A controlled substance can change someone’s mental state and may cause harm to personal and public health when misused or diverted to the illegal market.
Purpose
As a licensed dealer, you have an important role to play in minimizing the risk of diversion of precursors to the illegal market.
This guidance document will help you understand and comply with the Act and the Precursor Control Regulations (the Regulations). The document is not intended to cover every possible scenario. Other ways of complying with the Regulations may be considered with proper justification. As new technologies emerge, different approaches may be called for.
Health Canada meets its international obligations by managing and monitoring the movement of controlled substances and other chemicals, such as precursors. Your compliance with the regulatory requirements listed in this document helps us fulfill some of these international obligations.
Health Canada is a signatory to 3 international conventions to protect health and safety by ensuring access to controlled substances for medical and scientific purposes while preventing diversion to illegal channels. Health Canada also inspects licensed dealers to verify that you have complied with the Act and Regulations. When we conduct an inspection, we will use this document as a guide in assessing your compliance with the regulatory requirements.
How to use this document
Each section in this document starts with a table giving the exact text from the Regulations, followed by an explanation of the Regulations and a section on how to comply.
The document uses text boxes marked ‘Important’ to highlight a key piece of information that you should know, such as updates to processes or parts of the Regulations that are often missed or misunderstood. Use it as a way for you to best comply with the Regulations.
Important: Key or cautionary information to know.
The Office of Controlled Substances will occasionally communicate with all licensed dealers via bulletins to supplement this guidance document and clarify expectations.
Guidance documents are administrative tools that do not have the force of law. Should any information in this guidance document conflict with the legislation (the Act or Regulations), the legislation prevails.
Note about guidance documents in general
Guidance documents are meant to assist industry and health care professionals on how to comply with governing statutes and regulations. They also support Health Canada staff in the administering the legislation in a fair, consistent, and effective manner.
Guidance documents are administrative instruments and do not have the force of law. As such, they allow for flexibility in approach. Alternate approaches to the principles and practices described in this document may be acceptable, provided they are supported by adequate justification.
Any alternate approaches should be discussed in advance with the relevant program area to avoid the risk of non-compliance with applicable statutory or regulatory requirements.