CT State Rep Staneski Supports Opioid Education Bill

From CT State Rep: State Rep. Pam Staneski (R-119) proudly supported a bi-partisan effort in the House of Representatives to implement additional addiction prevention measures for opioid abuse in Connecticut.

Many state lawmakers spoke on the House floor about how the opioid addiction crisis had hit their home communities.

The legislation, HB 7052, An Act Preventing Prescription Opioid Diversion and Abuse, would help state agencies better prevent prescription opioid diversion and abuse through education and prevention.

This bill contains various provisions on controlled substance abuse prevention, particularly as it relates to opioid drugs. It:

• Generally requires prescriptions for controlled substances to be transmitted electronically to a pharmacy
• Requires prescriptions for minors to be limited to a 5 day initial supply of opioid drugs
• Allows certain registered nurses to destroy or dispose of their patient's controlled substances
• Creates a process by which patients may request to not be prescribed an opioid drug;
• Requires practitioners, when prescribing opioids, to discuss with all patients, rather than only minors, the risks associated with opioid drug use

“This crisis does not have one root cause, and it does not have a simple solution, but the additional tools offered by this legislation will help with the fight. Educating the public regarding medicine disposal and securing medications are important steps in combatting this crisis,” said Rep. Staneski.

Opioid overdoses on the rise, in 2015, 33,000 opioid deaths have occurred nationwide. In Connecticut alone, 800 deaths due to overdose have occurred since January 1, 2015 through August 2, 2016.

The bill received unanimously support in the House of Representatives and now moves to the State Senate for a vote.

Last year, State Rep. Staneski supported legislation which passed (Public Act 16-43) to help address this crisis.

Image Courtesy of CT State Reps