This bill proposes the addition of a new article to the Code of West Virginia, specifically Article 29, which establishes an excise tax on manufacturers and distributors of opioid drugs and their derivatives, as well as substances classified as Schedule II drugs. The tax is set at one cent for every 100 pills sold, multiplied by the number of overdose deaths reported in the state for the most recent year. The Department of Health's Epidemiology Division will provide the necessary data on overdose deaths annually, and the Tax Commission will notify pharmacies of the tax amount to be assessed.

Pharmacies licensed in West Virginia will be responsible for collecting and remitting this tax to the Tax Commissioner, who will then deposit the funds into the Ryan Brown Addiction Prevention and Recovery Fund. Importantly, the bill stipulates that pharmaceutical manufacturers, distributors, and pharmacies cannot pass this tax cost onto patients. The revenue generated from this tax is intended to support drug addiction and prevention programs in the state.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 11-29-1