Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Diversion Investigator Exam — Questions and Answers

Question 1: What is 'doctor shopping' in the context of DEA diversion enforcement?

A patient visiting multiple physicians to obtain multiple prescriptions for controlled substances without disclosing the other prescriptions (Correct answer)
Pharmacists filling prescriptions from multiple states for the same patient
A practice where physicians recommend specific pharmacies to patients
DEA investigators posing as patients to investigate prescribers

Correct answer: A patient visiting multiple physicians to obtain multiple prescriptions for controlled substances without disclosing the other prescriptions

Doctor shopping is a diversion method where individuals obtain multiple prescriptions for controlled substances from different providers, circumventing individual prescribing limits.

Question 2: Who must report significant theft or loss of controlled substances?

Pharmacists only
Patients
Registrants (Correct answer)
DEA agents

Correct answer: Registrants

Any individual or entity registered with the DEA (a "registrant") who handles controlled substances is legally obligated to report significant theft or loss. This includes pharmacists, hospitals, and practitioners. Prompt reporting to the DEA and local law enforcement is crucial for preventing diversion and maintaining accountability for these regulated medications.

Question 3: What is the most common synthetic opioid now encountered by DEA being mixed into illicit drug supplies?

Oxycodone
Tramadol
Fentanyl and fentanyl analogs (Correct answer)
Hydrocodone

Correct answer: Fentanyl and fentanyl analogs

Illicitly manufactured fentanyl (IMF) and its analogs are now the leading cause of overdose deaths in the U.S. due to their presence in counterfeit pills, heroin, and cocaine.

Question 4: What must DEA agents do before using a confidential source in an operation involving significant risk?

Submit the plan to the U.S. Attorney's office for pre-authorization
File a report with the DEA Office of Inspector General
Notify local law enforcement of the operation
Obtain supervisory approval and ensure the CS is properly documented and debriefed (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Obtain supervisory approval and ensure the CS is properly documented and debriefed

DEA policy requires supervisory review and thorough documentation of CS reliability and risk assessment before high-risk operations.

Question 5: How long is a DEA practitioner registration typically valid before renewal is required?

1 year
10 years
5 years
3 years (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 3 years

DEA practitioner registrations are generally valid for three years before renewal.

Question 6: Which Schedule I drug is derived from the Papaver somniferum plant?

Opium and heroin (Correct answer)
Cocaine
MDMA
Cannabis

Correct answer: Opium and heroin

The opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) is the source of opium, morphine, and by further processing, heroin — all subject to DEA scheduling and control.

Question 7: Which of the following registrants must be registered separately at each principal place of business?

Only distributors
Every location where controlled substances are handled (Correct answer)
Only pharmacies
Only manufacturers

Correct answer: Every location where controlled substances are handled

A separate DEA registration is required for each principal place of business or professional practice.

Question 8: What is a DEA 222 form used for?

A general application form for DEA registration
A patient prescription form
An official order form required for transferring Schedule II controlled substances between registered entities (Correct answer)
An incident report form

Correct answer: An official order form required for transferring Schedule II controlled substances between registered entities

DEA Form 222 is the official triplicate order form required for ordering, distributing, or transferring Schedule II controlled substances between registered entities, providing an auditable chain of custody.

Question 9: Which minimum education level combined with experience can qualify an applicant for the DEA Special Agent position?

High school diploma only
No formal education required
A bachelor's degree (Correct answer)
A doctorate

Correct answer: A bachelor's degree

DEA Special Agent applicants generally need at least a bachelor's degree.

Question 10: A pharmacist receives a prescription for a Schedule II opioid faxed from a prescriber. This fax is generally valid only as what?

An emergency verbal order
A permanent legal prescription
Advance notice requiring the original written prescription (Correct answer)
A refill authorization

Correct answer: Advance notice requiring the original written prescription

A faxed Schedule II prescription generally serves as notice; the original signed prescription is required before dispensing (with limited exceptions).

Question 11: If a document states an order was 'rescinded,' it means the order was:

Extended
Cancelled or revoked (Correct answer)
Signed
Enforced strictly

Correct answer: Cancelled or revoked

'Rescinded' means an order or decision was officially cancelled.

Question 12: Under DEA regulations, what is required of a DEA registrant that discovers a significant theft or loss of controlled substances?

Notify local police only and file a report within 30 days
Report only losses exceeding 10% of monthly inventory
Notify DEA within one business day and submit a DEA Form 106 (Report of Theft or Significant Loss) (Correct answer)
Conduct an internal investigation before notifying DEA

Correct answer: Notify DEA within one business day and submit a DEA Form 106 (Report of Theft or Significant Loss)

21 C.F.R. § 1301.76 requires registrants to immediately (within one business day) report significant theft or loss to the nearest DEA office and submit a DEA-106 form.

Question 13: What DEA registration is required for a physician to prescribe controlled substances?

A DEA registration number (Correct answer)
An FDA approval letter
A state medical license only
A Medicare provider ID

Correct answer: A DEA registration number

Practitioners must obtain a DEA registration number to prescribe or dispense controlled substances.

Question 14: Naloxone (Narcan) reverses opioid overdose by which pharmacological mechanism?

Stimulating opioid receptors to increase respiratory drive
Competitively binding and displacing opioids from their receptors as an antagonist (Correct answer)
Accelerating hepatic metabolism of opioids
Blocking opioid absorption in the gastrointestinal tract

Correct answer: Competitively binding and displacing opioids from their receptors as an antagonist

Naloxone is an opioid antagonist with high receptor affinity that rapidly displaces opioids from mu, kappa, and delta receptors, reversing respiratory depression within minutes.

Question 15: What is the purpose of the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP)?

A program providing free prescriptions
A federal drug manufacturing oversight program
A program to monitor drug prices
A state-run database tracking controlled substance prescriptions to identify potential abuse, diversion, and doctor shopping (Correct answer)

Correct answer: A state-run database tracking controlled substance prescriptions to identify potential abuse, diversion, and doctor shopping

PDMPs are state-operated databases collecting dispensing data for controlled substances, enabling prescribers and pharmacists to identify patients receiving prescriptions from multiple providers or showing patterns of misuse.

Question 16: What action can DEA take against a distributor that fails to report suspicious orders of controlled substances?

Require additional PDMP reporting for 90 days
Revoke or suspend the distributor's DEA registration and pursue civil or criminal penalties (Correct answer)
Issue a written warning for a first offense only
Refer the matter to the state pharmacy board exclusively

Correct answer: Revoke or suspend the distributor's DEA registration and pursue civil or criminal penalties

Distributors have a statutory duty to report suspicious orders and maintain effective controls against diversion; failure to comply can result in registration revocation and significant civil monetary penalties.

Question 17: What is the role of DEA's Automation of Reports and Consolidated Orders System (ARCOS)?

A tool used to electronically file DEA registrations
A database of all individuals convicted of drug offenses
A federal database that tracks the distribution of Schedule I and II controlled substances from manufacturer to retail dispensing, allowing DEA to detect diversion (Correct answer)
A system for managing DEA agent personnel records

Correct answer: A federal database that tracks the distribution of Schedule I and II controlled substances from manufacturer to retail dispensing, allowing DEA to detect diversion

ARCOS collects transaction data from manufacturers, distributors, and dispensers of Schedules I–V substances, creating a supply chain audit trail that reveals suspicious distribution patterns.

Question 18: DEA's Asset Forfeiture Program allows the government to seize property that is:

Owned by anyone ever arrested for a drug offense
Located near a known drug distribution area
Registered to a DEA-licensed entity
Proceeds of or used to facilitate a drug trafficking offense (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Proceeds of or used to facilitate a drug trafficking offense

Federal asset forfeiture targets property directly linked to drug crimes — either the proceeds of trafficking or property used to facilitate it.

Question 19: Which of these drugs is classified in Schedule IV?

Heroin
Fentanyl
Cocaine
Tramadol (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Tramadol

Tramadol is a Schedule IV controlled substance with lower abuse potential than Schedule II opioids.

Question 20: What characterizes a Schedule I controlled substance?

Only used in hospitals
Available over the counter
Low abuse potential with medical use
High abuse potential, no currently accepted medical use in the US, and lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision (Correct answer)

Correct answer: High abuse potential, no currently accepted medical use in the US, and lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision

Schedule I substances (heroin, LSD, ecstasy, marijuana at federal level) have high abuse potential, no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the US, and lack accepted safety for use under medical supervision.

Question 21: What is a DEA 'demand reduction' program and how does it complement enforcement operations?

DEA's program to reduce the number of controlled substance registrations issued
Educational and community outreach initiatives designed to reduce illegal drug use, addressing the supply-demand equation that sustains trafficking (Correct answer)
A program that offers treatment to first-time offenders in lieu of prosecution
A diplomatic effort to reduce drug crop cultivation in source countries

Correct answer: Educational and community outreach initiatives designed to reduce illegal drug use, addressing the supply-demand equation that sustains trafficking

DEA's Demand Reduction program works in schools and communities to prevent drug use, complementing supply-side enforcement by reducing the market that incentivizes trafficking.

Question 22: The report says an agent must 'exercise discretion' when handling informants. This means the agent should:

Report every detail publicly
Act carefully and use good judgment (Correct answer)
Delegate the task
Follow rules without thinking

Correct answer: Act carefully and use good judgment

To 'exercise discretion' is to use careful judgment and act with tact.

Question 23: A 'corresponding responsibility' in DEA pharmacy regulations refers to:

The patient's responsibility to use medications only as prescribed
The prescriber's responsibility to check the PDMP before writing a prescription
The distributor's obligation to verify a pharmacy's DEA registration
The pharmacist's legal duty to ensure a prescription is issued for a legitimate medical purpose before dispensing a controlled substance (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The pharmacist's legal duty to ensure a prescription is issued for a legitimate medical purpose before dispensing a controlled substance

Under 21 C.F.R. § 1306.04, pharmacists share legal responsibility with prescribers for ensuring controlled substance prescriptions are issued for legitimate medical purposes.

Question 24: Which document must a DEA agent obtain before conducting a search of a private residence?

A valid search warrant signed by a judge (Correct answer)
A U.S. Attorney approval memo
A grand jury subpoena
A DEA administrator authorization form

Correct answer: A valid search warrant signed by a judge

The Fourth Amendment requires a valid search warrant supported by probable cause before DEA agents can search a private residence.

Question 25: Which criterion is NOT one of the three factors used to determine a drug's schedule?

Accepted medical use
Safety and dependence liability
Potential for abuse
Retail market price (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Retail market price

Scheduling is based on abuse potential, accepted medical use, and dependence/safety, not price.

Question 26: Which DEA program monitors the distribution of listed chemicals used to make illegal drugs?

Registration Renewal Program
Asset Forfeiture Program
Diversion Control Program (Correct answer)
National Take-Back Program

Correct answer: Diversion Control Program

The DEA Diversion Control Program regulates listed chemicals and precursors to prevent illicit manufacturing.

Question 27: How many refills are generally permitted for a Schedule II prescription?

Unlimited refills
One refill
Up to 5 refills
Zero refills (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Zero refills

Schedule II prescriptions cannot be refilled; a new prescription is required each time.

Question 28: What is 'drug diversion through pharmacy theft' and what DEA form documents it?

Employees stealing controlled substances from pharmacy stock, documented on DEA Form 106 (Correct answer)
Pharmacies selling controlled substances without prescriptions, documented on DEA Form 41
Wholesalers short-shipping orders, documented on DEA Form 222
Patients stealing from pharmacy counters, documented on DEA Form 224

Correct answer: Employees stealing controlled substances from pharmacy stock, documented on DEA Form 106

Employee pilferage of pharmacy controlled substances is a common diversion method; registrants report all significant losses including theft on DEA Form 106.

Question 29: As of federal law, marijuana remains classified under which DEA schedule?

Schedule I (Correct answer)
Schedule II
Schedule III
Schedule IV

Correct answer: Schedule I

Marijuana remains a Schedule I substance under federal law despite state-level legalization.

Question 30: What is the '21 C.F.R. Part 1306' commonly known as in pharmacy and diversion enforcement?

The DEA registration renewal process regulations
The regulations governing DEA clandestine lab cleanup procedures
The DEA prescription regulations governing valid prescriptions for controlled substances (Correct answer)
The schedule of criminal penalties for diversion offenses

Correct answer: The DEA prescription regulations governing valid prescriptions for controlled substances

21 C.F.R. Part 1306 establishes the federal requirements for valid controlled substance prescriptions, including who may prescribe, what a prescription must contain, and dispensing rules.

Question 31: Which schedule includes benzodiazepines such as diazepam and alprazolam?

Schedule IV (Correct answer)
Schedule I
Schedule III
Schedule II

Correct answer: Schedule IV

Benzodiazepines are Schedule IV drugs with lower abuse potential relative to Schedule III.

Question 32: Under which federal statute does the DEA derive its primary authority to regulate controlled substances?

The Freedom of Information Act
The Fair Labor Standards Act
The Sherman Antitrust Act
The Controlled Substances Act (CSA) (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The Controlled Substances Act (CSA)

The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 establishes the DEA's authority to enforce drug scheduling and regulation.

Question 33: DEA Form 41 is used by registrants to document:

The destruction of controlled substances (Correct answer)
Theft or loss of controlled substances
Applying for DEA research registration
Ordering Schedule II substances

Correct answer: The destruction of controlled substances

DEA Form 41 (Registrant Record of Controlled Substances Destroyed) is required when a registrant destroys controlled substances, ensuring accountability for all substances removed from commerce.

Question 34: Cocaine, despite its abuse potential, is a Schedule II drug because it has what limited legitimate use?

Local anesthetic in medical procedures (Correct answer)
Recreational use
Dietary supplement
Veterinary sedation only

Correct answer: Local anesthetic in medical procedures

Cocaine has an accepted medical use as a local anesthetic, placing it in Schedule II.

Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Diversion Investigator Exam

The DEA Diversion Investigator exam tests knowledge of controlled substance laws, drug chemistry and identification, diversion control procedures, and enforcement compliance under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) and Chemical Diversion and Trafficking Act (CDTA).

110

Questions

120 min

Time Limit

70%

To Pass

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