2015 Revised Code of Washington
Title 82 - EXCISE TAXES
82.08 Retail sales tax.
82.08.0281 Exemptions—Sales of prescription drugs.

RCW 82.08.0281 Exemptions—Sales of prescription drugs.

(1) The tax levied by RCW 82.08.020 does not apply to sales of drugs for human use dispensed or to be dispensed to patients, pursuant to a prescription.

(2) The tax levied by RCW 82.08.020 does not apply to sales of drugs or devices used for family planning purposes, including the prevention of conception, for human use dispensed or to be dispensed to patients, pursuant to a prescription.

(3) The tax levied by RCW 82.08.020 does not apply to sales of drugs and devices used for family planning purposes, including the prevention of conception, for human use supplied by a family planning clinic that is under contract with the department of health to provide family planning services.

(4) The following definitions in this subsection apply throughout this section unless the context clearly requires otherwise.

(a) "Prescription" means an order, formula, or recipe issued in any form of oral, written, electronic, or other means of transmission by a duly licensed practitioner authorized by the laws of this state to prescribe.

(b) "Drug" means a compound, substance, or preparation, and any component of a compound, substance, or preparation, other than food and food ingredients, dietary supplements, or alcoholic beverages, marijuana, useable marijuana, or marijuana-infused products:

(i) Recognized in the official United States pharmacopoeia, official homeopathic pharmacopoeia of the United States, or official national formulary, or any supplement to any of them; or

(ii) Intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease; or

(iii) Intended to affect the structure or any function of the body.

(c) "Over-the-counter drug" means a drug that contains a label that identifies the product as a drug required by 21 C.F.R. Sec. 201.66, as amended or renumbered on January 1, 2003. The label includes:

(i) A "drug facts" panel; or

(ii) A statement of the "active ingredient(s)" with a list of those ingredients contained in the compound, substance, or preparation.

[2014 c 140 § 19; 2004 c 153 § 108; 2003 c 168 § 403; 1993 sp.s. c 25 § 308; 1980 c 37 § 46. Formerly RCW 82.08.030(28).]

NOTES:

Retroactive effective date—Effective date—2004 c 153: See note following RCW 82.08.0293.

Effective dates—Part headings not law—2003 c 168: See notes following RCW 82.08.010.

Finding—1993 sp.s. c 25: "The legislature finds that prevention is a significant element in the reduction of health care costs. The legislature further finds that taxing some physician prescriptions and not others is unfair to patients. It is, therefore, the intent of the legislature to remove the taxes from prescriptions issued for family planning purposes." [1993 sp.s. c 25 § 307.]

Severability—Effective dates—Part headings, captions not law—1993 sp.s. c 25: See notes following RCW 82.04.230.

Intent—1980 c 37: See note following RCW 82.04.4281.