HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2506        FILED ON: 1/19/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1998

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf and Mindy Domb

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to reducing the risk of unintended fatal opioid overdose.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf

17th Worcester

1/19/2023

Mindy Domb

3rd Hampshire

1/19/2023

Vanna Howard

17th Middlesex

1/31/2023


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2506        FILED ON: 1/19/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1998

By Representatives LeBoeuf of Worcester and Domb of Amherst, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1998) of David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf, Mindy Domb and Vanna Howard relative to reducing the risks of unintended fatal opioid overdoses.  Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 2110 OF 2021-2022.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

_______________

 

An Act relative to reducing the risk of unintended fatal opioid overdose.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Chapter 111 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:- Section 238. Prior to issuing a prescription of an opioid which is a controlled substance as set forth in section 31 of chapter 94C, a practitioner shall discuss with the patient, or the patient's parent or guardian if the patient is under 18 years of age and is not an emancipated minor, the risks for unintentional opioid overdose associated with the medication, including but not limited to: (i) taking more opioids than prescribed; (ii) the dangers of mixing opioids with alcohol, benzodiazepines such as Klonopin, Valium, and Xanax, other central nervous system depressants, and other forms of poly-drug use; (iii) alternative treatments that may be available. The physician will also discuss the risk of opioid dependence as a result of prescription use.

To avoid unintentional fatal overdose, the practitioner shall reconcile all patient medications prior to prescribing opioids. The practitioner will require the patient to sign an acknowledgement that the patient, or the patient's parent or guardian, as applicable, has (i) discussed with the practitioner the risks of developing a physical or psychological dependence on opioids, and (ii) understands the ways in which their alcohol use or other prescriptions may increase the risk for fatal opioid overdose.