Assemblymember Autumn Burke Fights to Protect Children From Opioid Addiction

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Feb. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Asm. Autumn Burke (D-Inglewood) introduced legislation today, AB 2741, that aims to stop the abuse of prescription opioids in minors.   This legislation addresses the opioid epidemic by tightening prescription regulations.

"As a legislator and a mother, it is imperative to protect our children from addiction before it has a chance to start," said Assemblywoman Burke. "Forty percent of all opioid overdose deaths involve a prescription and over 120,000 addicts are under the age of 21. This is an insidious crisis which compels us to take action," added Assemblywoman Burke.

The Protecting Children from Opioid Addiction Act or AB 2741 is authored by Asm. Burke and limits prescriptions of opioids for minors to a 5-day supply for acute pain management.  Exceptions include hospice & palliative care patients, cancer patients and individuals who are being treated for substance abuse disorders.

In 2015, the amount of opioids prescribed was enough for every American to be medicated around the clock for 3 weeks. Several reputable health organizations, including the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and the Center for Disease Control (CDC), all agree that overprescribing of opioid medications has directly contributed to the addiction crisis. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, nearly half of young people who inject heroin reported abusing prescription opioids before turning to heroin. The U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration estimates a full 80% of all users arrive at heroin after abusing opioid painkillers.

"Our communities are saturated with an excess of opioid prescriptions; in some cities and towns of California, the amount of opioid prescriptions outnumbers the population," said Assemblywoman Burke. "I'm proud to join my colleagues as we work towards bi-partisan, comprehensive solutions that will protect families from tragedies," added Assemblywoman Burke. 

SOURCE California State Assemblymember, Autumn Burke