Zupkus Supports Legislation Combating Opioid Epidemic

HARTFORD- State Representative Lezlye Zupkus (R-89) joined her colleagues in the House to pass 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 (narcan) and to limit the amount of opioid medication that can be prescribed to a patient.

“The opioid epidemic continues to affect urban, suburban, and rural communities throughout the state,” said Rep. Zupkus, ranking member of the legislature’s Public Safety Committee and co-sponsor of the legislation. “It is my hope that this legislation will aid in addressing this very dire situation in our state. Daily we continue to hear news of tragic stories of people who have overdosed on opiates or heroin, and many die. I proudly co-sponsored this important piece of legislation which will require that first responders are trained and equipped in administering life-saving narcan. I’m also encouraged that this will address the issue of opioid over-prescribing by limiting the prescription supply to 7 days.”

House Bill 5053, An Act Increasing Access to Overdose Reversal Drugs, passed out of the House of Representatives on Monday with unanimous, bipartisan support, and incorporates a number of measures including:
*Requiring municipalities to equip and train their first responders to administer naloxone, an overdose reversing drug
*For adults, limiting the number of pills in an opioid prescription to a seven-day supply
*For minors, limiting the number of pills in an opioid prescription to a seven-day supply and requiring the prescriber to discuss the potential danger of the drug
with the patient and the guardian, if they are present
*Prohibiting commercial health carriers from requiring prior authorization for coverage of naloxone
*Making several changes to the state’s electronic prescription monitoring program to help facilitate prescriber and pharmacist compliance

Just last year, 723 people in Connecticut died as a result of a drug overdose which is double the amount from 2012. Of this amount, 415 were related to heroin, which represents a 27 percent increase from 2014.

The General Assembly has made efforts in recent years to address the addiction crisis, including last session’s Public Act 15-198, which allows pharmacists to prescribe opioid antagonists and was supported by Rep. Zupkus.

House Bill 5053 now heads to the Senate for its approval before going to the governor’s desk for his signature. The legislative session adjourns at midnight on May 4th.
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