Governor Scott:  New law to reduce opioid addiction

Florida Governor Rick Scott signed legislation to help fight the opioid epidemic in Florida. The Governor signed HB 21 at the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office in Bradenton. The Governor says the bill will help limit the chance for addiction and slow down the spread of opioids.

“The most important thing we can do is stop the addition in the beginning”, Scott said before signing the bill.

The bill puts new restrictions on prescriptions, limiting them to 3 days, but could be as high as 7 days if prescribed by a doctor.  It also calls for $53.5 million dollars in state and federal grant funding for treatment programs and to update the state’s prescription database. According to the bill the largest chunk of the $53.5 million, more than $27 million, will go to the Department of Children and Families. More than $14.6 will go to DCF for community based services and $5 million will go to supplying first responders with drugs that counteract the effects of opioids. The remaining $6.9 million will go towards improving the states prescription database and treating opioid abuse in the criminal justice system.

HB 21 will also increase the penalties for people and doctors who are caught with unnecessary opioids, going from a 3rd degree felony to a 2nd degree felony. The bill also creates a new 3rd degree felony for possessing and using an encapsulating machine.

The bill was unanimously approved by the Florida House and Senate and will go into effect July 1st this year.