Click here to subscribe today or Login.
WILKES-BARRE — U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey heralded the Senate’s passing of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016 as a step forward in the fight against opioid addiction on Wednesday.
The bill, which the Senate passed on March 2, now moves on to the House of Representatives. The bill will need to be approved by the committees it is assigned to before it can be brought up for debate on the House floor.
Among other things, the bill is aimed at reducing abuse of Medicare, eliminating “doctor shopping” by a system of checks and balances, which will ultimately lock those at high risk of opioid abuse into one physician and one pharmacist.
Toomey, R-Zionsville, said one theme keeps emerging with his constituents — drugs are destroying the quality of life for many Pennsylvanians. He said he is determined to aggressively address the problem.
Toomey said bipartisan support of the bill reflects an issue that crosses social class, culture and party lines.
If the bill becomes law, it would allow the attorney general to fund programs that increase prescription drug monitoring, improve treatment for addicts and expand prevention and education programs.
Toomey said the state is making great strides in the battle against abuse, by taking a multi-pronged approach to the problem, eliminating the practice of doctor shopping and getting addicts into treatment.
Toomey has said that more Pennsylvania residents will die from opioid overdoses than from the flu or homicides.
Michael Donahue, Luzerne/Wyoming Counties Drug and Alcohol Program administrator, said any law which increases oversight of the use of opioids and provides an opportunity for rehabilitation, is a positive one.
Donahue said many people initially take prescription opioids for legitimate illnesses and then become dependent.
“Narcotic medications are highly addictive,” he said. “Those using them need to be very careful.”