Section 18A of chapter 94C of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out subsection (a) and inserting in place thereof the following subsection:-

(a) Prior to issuing an extended-release long-acting opioid in a non-abuse deterrent form for outpatient use for the first time, a practitioner registered under section 7 shall: (i) evaluate the patient's current condition, risk factors, history of mental health or substance use disorder, if any, and whether the patient has taken or is currently taking medications to treat any such disorders; (ii) discuss with the patient and, if the patient is a minor, the patient’s parent or legal guardian, the risks of addiction and overdose associated with the medication and the risk of concurrent use of alcohol or other central nervous system depressants; (iii) inform the patient and, if the patient is a minor, the patient’s parent or legal guardian, and note in the patient's medical record that the prescribed medication, in the prescriber's medical opinion, is an appropriate course of treatment based on the medical need of the patient; and (iv) obtain the patient’s written informed consent and, if the patient is a minor, the written informed consent of the patient’s parent or legal guardian, on a consent form established by the department which shall indicate that the practitioner consulted with and informed the patient and, where applicable, the patient’s parent or legal guardian, as required by this section.