Comprehensive heroin bill introduced
Tuesday, Mar 3, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* A bipartisan anti-heroin package was unveiled yesterday…
Republican Reps. John Anthony of Plainfield and John Cabello of Loves Park and former Rep. Dennis Reboletti joined Assistant House Majority Leader Lou Lang, D-Skokie, at a news conference Monday to announce the introduction of legislation to combat the drug. Lang said he filed House Bill 1 after a 2014 task force found the problem was much worse than he expected.
The bill looks to attack the problem from a variety of different angles instead of just focusing on treatment, Lang said.
It includes provisions for the disposal of certain potentially addictive medications, limits the number of those medications to a 10-day supply, changes Medicaid to cover rehabilitation services and provides at no cost to police departments medicine used to remedy heroin overdoses. Money would also be allocated for education and treatment purposes.
Lang estimates the entire proposal would require about $25 million. He said he thought the program was worth it, but acknowledged the state faces tough fiscal times and may need new revenue streams to fund the initiative.
* The pricetag is an issue…
“Heroin is a huge problem but the budget is very tight this year also,” said Rep. Patti Bellock, House Republicans’ point person on the Medicaid health program for the poor. “I would try to look at cost effective ways of doing things.”
* And it steps on some interest group toes…
Lang acknowledged that portions of the legislation -including limiting painkiller prescriptions and requiring pharmacies to serve as prescription “take back” sites - could be opposed by the powerful pharmaceutical and hospital lobby in Springfield, because of increased regulation. […]
While Illinois State Medical Society President William McDade said the group was still reviewing the legislation, he pointed to a recent paper released by the group stating support for expanding access to antidotes but urging caution in limiting the number of pills a physician can prescribe.
“In short, there’s going to be a lot of pushback,” Lang said.
* That NARCAN antidote is pretty remarkable…
“It’s an antidote that works,” said Lang. “But it’s not an antidote that everybody has.”
The bill requires [and pays for] first responders to carry the product. West Frankfort Police Chief Shawn Talluto supports the idea, as long as officers get the proper training. […]
“We’ve had people who’ve been overdosed,” said Talluto. “Once they bring them into the ambulance and administer that drug, it will bring them back.”
However, the EMTs could be farther away in some of the smaller counties. A police officer may be the first on scene.
“They’re not for sure if that person is overdosed or not, because they’re not a medical person,” said Talluto. “They can administer that drug, and there are no ill effects against an individual if they are not an overdose victim.”
* Also in the bill…
• An increase in the number of times an individual can be admitted to drug court, providing people with more potential access to rehab instead of a direct path to prison.
• A mandate that requires all coroners to share information involving death due to drug overdose with Illinois’ Department of Public Health and requires hospitals to report all controlled substance overdoses to the Department of Public Health within 48 hours.
• A measure to improve the Prescription Monitoring Program, which ensures people aren’t “doctor shopping” to receive more opioids than needed, by mandating that pharmacies update dispensing information every day and barring patients from having more than two prescribers in a 30-day period.
• A mandated statewide prescription return program that would allow Illinois residents to return unused medications to any pharmacy for disposal.
The bill’s full text is here.
- Ghost - Tuesday, Mar 3, 15 @ 11:01 am:
Did we learn nothing from prohibition or the failed war on drugs. All we are doing is driving billions of dollars into criminal enterprise; creating products to fund terrorists, and wadteing resources. Legalize, regulate and tax are the best solutions. Reduces violent crime and cuts off money that funds violent criminal enterprise and terrorists activites.
- Wordslinger - Tuesday, Mar 3, 15 @ 11:23 am:
The provisions regarding prescription painkillers are very important.
Abuse of prescription opioids are the gateway to street heroin, not weed.
Of course, the the problem of prescription opioids abuse is a much larger issue than street heroin to begin with.
- Chris - Tuesday, Mar 3, 15 @ 11:23 am:
“Legalize, regulate and tax are the best solutions.”
Most of what Rich highlights in the post relates to Oxycodone (and similar) drugs that are legal, regulated, and taxed. But still a prime mover of opiates in the black market.
- TwoFeetThick - Tuesday, Mar 3, 15 @ 11:45 am:
So, chronic pain sufferers are going to have to make their way back to the pharmacy for a refill every 10 days? That’s ridiculous and cruel. Some will no doubt find it easier to just get heroin and use that instead. Let’s not forget why heroin use has increased: because the DEA and states have clamped down on prescription painkillers, thereby making them harder to get and dramatically more expensive. Users found it easier and cheaper to switch to the more deadly heroin.
No amount of law will get rid of something for which there is demand. It just sets up whack-a-mole. The people who this punishes are those who are already suffering.
- crazybleedingheart - Tuesday, Mar 3, 15 @ 12:28 pm:
“(a-10) A pharmacy may only fill a 10-day supply of a Schedule II controlled substance at one time and must receive authorization from the prescriber before filling any subsequent 10-day supply.”
If you’ve ever managed the health care of a chronically ill or dying person, you’ve found yourself needing a 24-hour pharmacy.
This prior authorization provision means you’ll also need to find yourself a 24-hour doctor.
- crazybleedingheart - Tuesday, Mar 3, 15 @ 12:31 pm:
Two Feet Thick has it exactly right: ridiculous and cruel to the sick, highly unlikely to thwart the addicted.
- Kodachrome - Tuesday, Mar 3, 15 @ 12:53 pm:
We have plenty of problems in this state, including this one. We cannot pay for a cure for them all. I have no idea where this particular problem/solution falls in the priority hierarchy, but THIS should be on the poster for how Rauner got elected:
“The state has a $30 billion-plus budget. We’ll have to find the money someplace,” Lang said.
They CANNOT help themselves. Lets just find the money “someplace”.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Mar 3, 15 @ 12:55 pm:
Good idea to read the bill folks. A doctor can order the pharmacy to fill more than a 10 day supply. No muss.. No fuss.
- crazybleedingheart - Tuesday, Mar 3, 15 @ 1:05 pm:
Obviously I read the bill. I quoted it.
My comment stands.
- TwoFeetThick - Tuesday, Mar 3, 15 @ 1:17 pm:
Doctors may prescribe more, if they explain why they are doing so in writing. I suspect, in a time when doctors are having their licences taken away if a regulator decides that they are too liberal in prescribing these medications, the majority of doctors won’t want the additional scrutiny. Ten day prescriptions will become the norm.
Badly injured veterans are going to be forced to find their way to the pharmacy every 10 days. Little old ladies who have great difficulty walking will be forced to do the same. Again, this will do nothing to stop abuse, and is cruel.
- MrJM - Tuesday, Mar 3, 15 @ 3:02 pm:
Because when the smack begins to flow
I really don’t care anymore
About all the Jim-Jim’s in this town
And all the politicians makin’ crazy sounds
– Reed, Lou. “Heroin” The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967)
- Arthur Andersen - Tuesday, Mar 3, 15 @ 7:23 pm:
I’m with TwoFeetThick here. Penalizing cancer sufferers and other regular folks who truly need these medicines is lousy public policy, way beyond what the DEA mandates, and is not going to reduce heroin abuse. Bad idea
- ilinoisian - Wednesday, Mar 4, 15 @ 5:30 am:
Someone put Sen. Mark Kirk on a program. His endorsement of Rahm Emanual, by saying he is good for the bond markets has us wondering if he is on something. Is this guy a Republican or a Democrat? Pick a side Kirk!