Clarke Courier

Richmond, Va.--Regulations controlling the sale of prescription liquors by licensed druggists are now being considered by the Virginia ABC Board, as a means of putting an end to certain abuses known to be current among certain drug stores licensed by the Board. The regulations will be promulgated shortly after the licensing of drug stores is completed.

Among the abuses of druggists' licenses, which have come to the attention of the Board, are the following: sale of any quantity of liquor on prescriptions pre-signed in quantity by certain physicians; frequent refillings of prescriptions; sale of liquors on prescriptions prepared by the druggist himself. Such acts as these are violative of the spirit of the new liquor control law which intended the drug store sale of hard liquors to be based only on medicinal use.

Meanwhile, the board is aware that many druggists are co-operating fully with the Board and are observing the spirit as well as the letter of the law. These licensees are selling liquor only on authentic prescriptions signed by physicians and presented by the patient himself. Other druggists are being lax in their sales, especially in those areas where no State stores have been established and where such stores are not likely to be established. Because the terms of the law itself are general with regard to druggist sale of liquor under prescription, the Board will adopt detailed regulations in order that the holders of drug licenses will know the precise limits to which they can go in sales of prescription liquor. Violation of these regulations will be cause for revocation of licenses.