Opioid Crisis Update

To the Editor,

We continue to battle the opioid epidemic daily. Drug related tragedies do not discriminate and destroy families statewide.  This past legislative session, I was honored to co-sponsor legislation that takes a proactive approach to combatting this prevalent issue.

Abuse and misuse of opioids has caused far too many to lose their lives as a result of overdoses. Too many families have been impacted by this crisis, which is why I supported this new framework to approach and educate the general public about the dangers associated with opioids.

The bill I co-sponsored requires prescriptions for controlled substances to be electronically transmitted to a pharmacy. Electronic transmissions will decrease the possibility of unnecessary prescriptions. This minimizes the abundance of excess medication in the community. In addition, the measure limits the initial supply of opioid medication to 5 days.

In order to empower patients that wish to avoid opioids, the bill creates a process for patients to request that their physician not prescribe opioids to them for treatment. Most important, practitioners must now speak with patients about the use and risks of taking opioid medication.

It is important to note that we are expected to pass a state budget this week. I will continue to update you on the final details as soon as they become available to me. However, I will be fighting to protect the public health and supportive social services that provide resources to those struggling with addiction.

As the year draws to a close, I will continue to update you on the status of my legislative initiatives from the 2017 session. While this is the beginning of my fight, it is only the beginning. I am passionate about finding resolutions to helping our own community help itself. We are just scratching the surface.

Sincerely,

Bill Buckbee