Gov. Charlie Baker signed legislation today limiting opioid prescriptions to seven days for first-time users and minors, instructing schools to screen students for drug abuse and requiring hospitals to offer substance abuse treatment to emergency room patients who seem to have overdosed.
The law is the first in the nation to mandate the seven-day limit, according to a statement from the governor’s office and passed the state Senate unanimously last week.
“Today, the commonwealth stands in solidarity to fight the opioid and heroin epidemic that continues to plague our state and burden countless families and individuals,” Baker wrote in a statement. “I am proud to sign this legislation marking a remarkable statewide effort to strengthen prescribing laws and increase education for students and doctors. While there is still much work to be done, our administration is thankful for the legislature’s effort to pass this bill and looks forward to working with the attorney general and our mayors to bend the trend and support those who have fallen victim to this horrific public health epidemic.”
State Senate President Stanley Rosenberg, D-Amherst, wrote in a statement that a dozen recommendations from a special Senate committee on substance abuse have been included in the legislation.
“The opioid crisis has ripped apart our communities and families,” he wrote. “Over the past few years, the legislature has focused on access to treatment, funding for substance abuse programs and continuity of care. This bill focuses on preventing addiction, enhancing public education and removing pills from circulation.”
The opioid epidemic continues to impact every community in Massachusetts. According to the most recent data, it is estimated that there were nearly 1,200 unintentional and undetermined opioid deaths in 2014 in the state.
The estimated rate of 17.4 deaths per 100,000 residents for 2014 is the highest ever for unintentional opioid overdoses and represents a 228 percent increase from the rate of 5.3 deaths per 100,000 residents in 2000. And the trend isn’t slowing. Preliminary data estimations show, there were over 1,100 opioid deaths between January and September of 2015, an increase over 2014.