Florida lawmakers approve opioid bill ahead of midnight deadline

A bill to tackle Florida’s growing opioid problem is headed to Gov. Rick Scott’s desk.

The $53 million bill was expected to pass on Friday, however, there was some disagreement among lawmakers over whether money should be given to one specific drug company.

The bill would have died if it wasn’t approved by midnight Saturday.

The bull puts a three-day limit on prescriptions for pain treatment. Doctors could prescribe up to a seven-day supply if medically necessary. The limits would not apply to cancer patients, the terminally ill or people suffering from major trauma.

The bill would also require doctors to check a statewide database before prescribing or dispensing drugs.

Millions will also be spent on drugs that help people recover from opioid addiction.

One of these drugs, naltrexone, is used along with counseling to help participants of St. Johns County’s Adult Drug Court, who are suffering from addiction.

“We’ve been using it in our drug courts,” Melanie Smith of Epic Behavioral Healthcare said. “We use it in our outpatient and residential programs, and it’s really been successful in keeping people staying sober.”

Cox Media Group