Zawistowski, Kissel Support Legislation Tackling State’s Opiates Addiction Crisis

HARTFORD—Rep. Tami Zawistowski and Sen. John Kissel have supported legislation that requires cities and towns to make sure they have at least one first responder equipped and trained to administer the reversal drug naloxone.

Naloxone is an emergency drug that can sometimes save the life of a person who has overdosed on heroin or prescription opioids, and that municipal requirement is among the provisions of the omnibus legislation drafted in response to the addiction crisis gripping communities statewide. The bill, H.B. 5053, received unanimous support in both legislative chambers.

“These powerful drugs don’t discriminate—their grip comes quick and it’s tight, and when it takes hold the addiction wrecks and takes lives in every community,” said Zawistowski, who represents the 61st House District covering Suffield, East Granby and part of Windsor. “This is just the beginning of work on an epidemic that demands attention from every level of government.”

House legislators approved the legislation April 25, and Senate lawmakers on May 3.

“With an average of two people dying every day from overdoses in Connecticut, the state had to act to fight this epidemic,” said Kissel, who serves 7th Senatorial district. “This bill attacks the problem from both directions. It gives our first responders the tools they need to reverse overdoses when they can, and another provision places reasonable limits on how much opioid medication doctors can prescribe after certain injuries. These are important steps toward ending this crisis.”

Among the bipartisan legislation’s many components:

• limits practitioners from issuing prescriptions for opioids for minors for more than a 7 day supply;
• Changes electronic prescription monitoring program to improve prescriber and pharmacist compliance;
• Expands participation of community stakeholders in the Alcohol and Drug Policy Council, and requires the panel to include in our statewide plan a goal of reducing the number of opioid-induced death.

The legislation awaits signature the signature of Gov. Dannel Malloy, who has joined the legislature in moving Connecticut’s growing addiction crisis toward the top of his agenda.