Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement

The Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement (BNE) protects the public health by combatting the illegal use of and trade in controlled substances and by safeguarding the legitimate use of controlled substances in healthcare as defined in law and regulations.

The Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement:

  • works with local and federal law enforcement to investigate unauthorized use of prescription controlled substance medications;
  • supervises and regulates controlled substances through its issuance of licenses to manufacturers, distributors, hospitals, residential health care facilities, teaching institutions, EMS agencies, and researchers;
  • maintains the Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP);
  • provides secure Official New York State Prescriptions to prescribers; and
  • oversees the electronic prescribing of controlled substances, mandatory opioid prescriber education, and the safe disposal of medications through the statewide Drug Take Back Program.

Prescribing Controlled Substances in the Absence of an In-Person Medical Evaluation

Updated May 2025

Effective May 21, 2025, pursuant to 10 NYCRR § 80.63(d)(1), no controlled substance shall be prescribed prior to an in-person medical evaluation of the patient, except in certain circumstances. Among the exceptions listed in § 80.63(e), a controlled substance may be prescribed by telemedicine/telehealth, as such terms are defined by Article 29-G of New York State Public Health Law, in the absence of an in-person medical evaluation when consistent with state laws and regulations and the laws, rules, and regulations of the Drug Enforcement Administration.

In addition to this requirement, practitioners must comply with all other applicable Federal and State laws, including New York State regulations for consulting the Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) Registry when writing prescriptions for Schedule II, III, and IV controlled substances, and the use of electronic prescribing.

Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP)

An on-line instructional webinar is available which covers a variety of topics associated with the New York State Prescription Monitoring Program Registry (PMP) including the use of the PMP registry search and use of the PMP Data Collection Tool.