June 2, 2017

Rep. Dauphinais Backs Legislation to Combat Opioid Abuse Through Education

This article was archived from the previous WordPress site. Formatting and media should be close, but may not match the original post perfectly.

HARTFORD – State Representative Anne Dauphinais (R-44) has co-sponsored bi-partisan legislation that would seek to improve the state’s current law on opioid abuse with the inclusion of additional prevention measures.

“As a legislature we are continuing to refine our current laws while implementing new ones designed to combat this epidemic in the best ways possible,” Rep. Dauphinais said. “This bill implements good practice without a fiscal note that will provide good policy in preventing opioid abuse.”

The legislation, HB-7052, An Act Preventing Prescription Opioid Diversion and Abuse, would make several changes to existing law to combat opioid abuse through education and prevention.

This bill contains various provisions on controlled substance abuse prevention:

Creates a process by which patients may request to not be prescribed an opioid drug
Generally requires prescriptions for controlled substances to be transmitted electronically to a pharmacy, which must have the technology to accept such prescriptions
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
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

Symptoms of an opioid overdose include:

Slow, shallow, or erratic breathing
Vomiting
Unresponsiveness or loss of consciousness
Limp body, blue fingernails and lips

The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) states that residents are more likely to die from an unintentional drug overdose than a motor vehicle accident with prescription opioid painkillers being the most commonly linked reason for the overdose.

The bill has passed unanimously through the House and will now move onto the Senate for further debate.