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.