Controlled substances practice questions
18 questions on Canada’s controlled-substance rules, for pharmacy students and technicians preparing for licensing and jurisprudence exams. Pick one answer each, then see your score and why. Your answers stay in your browser.
The questions
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Under the Controlled Substances Regulations, when is a pharmacist's loss or theft report due?
Answer: 10 days after becoming aware
A written report goes to Health Canada within 10 days after the day the pharmacist becomes aware of it (Controlled Substances Regulations s. 109(2)).
Guide: Reporting a loss or theft
Which is true of a loss or theft report?
Answer: The investigation must not delay it
Health Canada's guidance says the investigation must not delay the report. Later findings are sent as an amendment.
Which of these is reported to Health Canada as a theft?
Answer: A filled forged prescription
Health Canada classes a forged prescription that was filled as a theft, and every theft is reported.
Guide: Forged prescriptions
What is the federal minimum time to keep controlled-substance records?
Answer: 2 years
Federally, records are kept at least 2 years (Controlled Substances Regulations s. 123(1)). Ontario's rule for dispensing records is longer.
Guide: How long records are kept
In Ontario, the 10-year period for a patient's records starts from what?
Answer: The patient's last pharmacy service
In Ontario, records are kept at least 10 years from the patient's last pharmacy service, longer for a minor (O. Reg. 264/16 s. 21).
Guide: How long records are kept
Who may carry out the destruction of a controlled substance in a pharmacy?
Answer: A pharmacist or pharmacy technician
Only a pharmacist or a pharmacy technician may carry out a destruction in a pharmacy (Controlled Substances Regulations s. 110(1)).
Since October 1, 2026, which of these may witness a destruction?
Answer: A pharmacy intern
The witness may be another pharmacist, technician or intern, a practitioner or any other health professional (Controlled Substances Regulations s. 110(1)).
Since October 1, 2026, what may a pharmacy technician do in their own right?
Answer: Transfer a prescription
Technicians now receive, compound, transfer, destroy and deliver. Ordering, extending and the loss report stay with the pharmacist.
Guide: What technicians can do
Who may order controlled substances from a licensed dealer?
Answer: Only a pharmacist, in their own name
Only a pharmacist orders, on a signed and dated order. A technician may prepare it, but ordering cannot be delegated.
Guide: Ordering and receiving
A shipment is invoiced September 30 and arrives October 2. What date goes on the receipt record?
Answer: October 2, the day it arrived
The receipt record carries the date it was received. Health Canada calls that date critical for spotting a loss and for reconciling.
Guide: Ordering and receiving
Until when may a controlled-substance prescription be transferred?
Answer: 2 years after it was first received
Within two years after the day it was first received, with no limit on the number of transfers (Controlled Substances Regulations s. 102).
Guide: Transfers and extensions
Who may extend a controlled-substance prescription, where the province allows it?
Answer: A pharmacist
Extending is a pharmacist's act, never a technician's. It cannot be given verbally; the pharmacist records it in writing.
Guide: Transfers and extensions
In an Ontario community pharmacy, where are all narcotics kept?
Answer: In a time-delayed safe
The Ontario College of Pharmacists' Time-Delayed Safes Policy has all narcotics in a community pharmacy locked in a time-delayed safe in the dispensary.
When may a pharmacy technician handle controlled substances?
Answer: Only while a pharmacist is on site
Health Canada's guidance says a pharmacist must be on site while any activity with controlled substances takes place.
Guide: What technicians can do
Which class of controlled substance are benzodiazepines?
Answer: Targeted substances
Benzodiazepines are targeted substances. Since October 1, 2026 they sit under the Controlled Substances Regulations with narcotics and controlled drugs.
Guide: Targeted substances
Sold without a prescription, a low-dose codeine tablet holds at most how much codeine phosphate?
Answer: 8 mg per tablet
Not more than 8 mg per solid unit, or 20 mg per 30 mL of liquid, among other conditions (Controlled Substances Regulations s. 98(2)).
Guide: Low-dose codeine
In Ontario, how often must controlled substances be counted and reconciled, at minimum?
Answer: Every 6 months
The Ontario College of Pharmacists' Designated Manager policy asks for a full count and reconciliation at least once every six months.
Guide: How often Ontario counts
Which provinces count and reconcile narcotics monthly?
Answer: Nova Scotia and PEI
Nova Scotia and PEI are monthly. Alberta, BC, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Newfoundland and Labrador generally require reconciliation every three months.
Guide: Count intervals by province
Based on: the Controlled Substances Regulations, Health Canada's guidance (CS-GD-005 and CS-GD-022), O. Reg. 264/16 s. 21 and provincial college policies, as NarcCount's guides explain them. Not affiliated with any exam body. General information, not legal advice.