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HARTFORD — Rep. Kurt Vail (R-52) joined House lawmakers Thursday in approving legislation expanding preventative measures and educational access to battle overdoses.
In the face of a heroin and prescription drug epidemic, Vail said the measure, H.B. 6856, provides small ways to intervene with individuals before substance abuse escalates. The measure allows pharmacists to prescribe heroin-antagonist drugs like Narcan and it requires doctors, nurses and dentists to learn more about prescribing pain medication.
“We want to take the steps we can to save lives,” Vail said. “This bill gives medical professionals the tools they need to prevent prescription drug abuse, which is a real problem we have to address. There are too many sad abuse stories that end in tragedy. My hope is we can prevent more of those from happening.”
After gaining support by the state departments of consumer protection, public health, children and families, and even the Attorney General, along with the Connecticut Hospital Association and the Prevention Network, the bill passed the House unanimously. It now heads to the Senate.
