A little something I came up with (needs some amending of course
)
The safety of Lincoln's citizens being fundamental to this government's actions, and with our region having a total of 25.21 deaths caused by opioid overdose for every one-hundred thousand individuals according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse's 2017 numbers, I thought this law was important.
Most provisions take inspiration upon New York's rl regulations on the subject, with some necessary exceptions and inspiration on other states' regulations. Some aspects I'd like to discuss (e.g, excise tax on opium) are, I think, better left for debate.
First Step to Relieve our Opioid Crisis Act
I. Good Samaritan Provisions. 1. Any Lincoln citizen may be allowed to call 911 or any other government-sanctioned emergency medical services phone number if they are suffering from overdose of opioid-related drugs, or if they are witness to another person in close vicinity suffering from any such overdose, without possibility or fear of arrest or prosecution of the caller or patient on any of the following offenses:
- Possession of under eight ounces of any controlled substance.
- Possession of alcohol (in cases of underage drinking) or marihuana.
- Possession of drug paraphernalia.
- Sharing of controlled substances.
2. The above provisions do not preclude arrest and prosecution over possession of over eight ounces of any controlled substance or sale of or intent to sell any such substance. They additionally do not preclude arrest in case of the existence of an arrest warrant against any citizen found at the scene of the report or a violation of parole or probation.
II. Opioid Prescriptions Regulations. 1. Any medical practitioner may not initially prescribe more than a seven-day supply of opioid medications for acute pain, said pain being defined as that the practitioner expects to last only a short period of time, caused by illness or any sort of surgical or accidental trauma.
2. Said prescriptions may additionally contain no more than 90 morphine milligram equivalents per day.
3. The prescription may be refilled after the seven days have elapsed for an equal or lower amount of time and medication by the practicing physician if he or she judges it necessary.
III. Naloxone Prescriptions and Use. 1. Any practicing physician or pharmacist may dispense or prescribe naloxone hydrochloride or other opioid antagonists to patients in risk or their immediate family members, after having undergone procedures to educate the recipient of the prescription on the proper use of said medication and on the prevention of overdoses.
2. The Lincoln Department of Health shall issue physical brochures to be handed out to patients being prescribed, dispensed, or furnished naloxone-related medication covering their proper use as well as the dangers of opium overdose, with specific content to be determined by the Department and approved by the Governor of Lincoln. The Department must also keep on its website a full version of such information for public use.
3. First responders on medical services such as paramedics or EMTs shall be required to carry naloxone when responding to claims of a factual or suspected opioid overdose.
4. The Government of Lincoln shall fund a twenty-minute video regarding the proper use of naloxone in emergency situations which will be distributed to emergency professionals followed by a forty-minute required course on the same subject with specific content to be determined by the Lincoln Department of Health and approved by the Governor, which must take place no more than four months after the start of this law's provisions. Said video must also be publicly uploaded after the courses for emergency professionals have ended.
IV. Implementation.1. The bill shall become law after signing by the Governor, and the clauses therein prescribed will come into effect on January 1, 2020.
