On Tuesday, the legislature’s Public Health Committee passed House Bill 7052, which aims to help state agencies prevent prescription opioid diversion and abuse through education and presentation. State Rep. Nicole Klarides-Ditria voted in favor of the bill and praised her colleagues on the Public Health Committee for passing the legislation.
“The Public Health Committee is working with all stakeholders impacted by the opioid epidemic to find solutions that will eradicate this disease from our state and local communities,” said Rep. Klarides-Ditria. “This legislation will cut unnecessary red tape that creates hurdles for state agencies to share critical information about drug abuse and will help educate all patients about the dangers of taking opioid drugs. These are just a few steps this bill seeks to make, and I am proud to support this legislation.”
House Bill 7052 contains various provisions on controlled substance abuse prevention:
- Requires prescriptions for controlled substances to be transmitted electronically to a pharmacy, which must have the technology to accept such prescriptions
- Allows the Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) commissioner to share certain prescription drug monitoring program information with other state agencies for certain studies involving drug abuse
- Allows certain registered nurses to destroy or dispose of their patient’s controlled substances
- Creates a process by which patients may request not to be prescribed an opioid drug
- Requires practitioners, when prescribing opioids, to discuss with all patients, rather than only minors, the associated risks of addiction and overdose; the dangers of taking opioid drugs with alcohol, benzodiazepines, and other central nervous system depressants; and why the prescription is necessary
The State Medical Examiner’s Office reported earlier this year that drug overdose deaths increased by 25 percent in 2016.
