Opiate Addiction Prevention:Massachusetts Limits Prescription to 7 Day

1. Opiate Addiction Prevention:Massachusetts Limits Prescription to 7 Days It has been nearly 45 years since President Nixon declared the War on Drugs, but recent statistics suggest that the United States is losing battle after battle. Rates of opioid addiction are higher than ever, with the number of prescription medications being dispensed quadrupling since 1999. Deaths from heroin overdose are also on the rise. In the midst of this opioid epidemic, public health officials are looking for ways to curb opiate abuse. Now, lawmakers are stepping into the fray. The Massachusetts state legislature just passed an opiate addiction bill intended to combat the opioid addiction problem in that state. UNDERSTANDING THE MASSACHUSETTS OPIATE ADDICTION BILL Massachusetts House bill H.3944 underwent considerable debate and more than 80 amendment proposals before being passed unanimously on February 10th. The bill was designed to be a comprehensive plan to combat Massachusetts opiate addiction. Key provisions of the bill include: Limitations on physician prescribing practices. Currently, physicians may prescribe opioids within their discretion as a medical professional. The Massachusetts bill requires that doctors writing an adult a first-time prescription for acute pain provide no more than a seven-day prescription for opioid medications. Patients under the age of 18 may not receive an opioid prescription for longer than seven days. Although there are exceptions for chronic pain or pain due to cancer, this significantly curbs doctors’ ability to write extensive prescriptions for opioid painkillers. Article Source : https ://www.opiates.com/blog/opiate-addiction-prevention-bill-massachusetts/