Experts Hammer Home Importance Of Treatment And Education At Hearing On Opioid Crisis
At a hearing in Ohio hosted by the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, law enforcement officials and experts spoke about ways of addressing and curbing the epidemic that is gripping the state and the rest of the country. "We cannot arrest our way out of this problem," Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine said. In other news, a Missouri lawmaker threatens to filibuster a bill establishing a prescription drug monitoring program, and a Detroit man is recognized for his drug recovery program.
The Cleveland Plain Dealer:
Ohio's Opioid Crisis Requires An Urgent Public Health Response, Officials Testify
Ohio's spike in opioid overdoses and deaths is a public health problem that requires an urgent influx of resources to treat addiction, stem the supply of prescription narcotics, and educate children and parents about the dangers, law enforcement officials and health experts said Friday. (Ross, 4/23)
St. Louis Public Radio:
State Senator's Opposition To Prescription Drug Database At Odds With Expert Research
A showdown is looming in the Missouri statehouse over an effort to make Missouri the final state in the nation to gain a prescription drug monitoring program. State Sen. Rob Schaaf, R-St. Joseph, has promised to filibuster House Bill 1892, which would let doctors check a database before giving patients a prescription for opioid painkillers, and require pharmacists to report filling opioid prescriptions within 24 hours. (Phillips, 4/24)
The Associated Press:
Founder Of Detroit-Based Drug Recovery Program Getting Honor
The founder of a Detroit-based drug recovery program is being recognized at the White House amid efforts to respond to a nationwide problem with prescription opioid and heroin abuse. (4/22)
