Chairman of the House Prescription Drug Addiction and Healthcare Reform Study Committee Robert Sprague (R-Findlay) and Vice Chairman of the Study Committee Ryan Smith (R-Bidwell) hold a press conference to discuss a package of 11 bills addressing the issue of drug abuse in Ohio. From the Statehouse, 12/10/13.

This package comes on the heels of four statewide hearings that facilitated a discussion on addiction and encouraged feedback from Ohioans. Reps. Sprague and Smith are joined by Reps. Nickie Antonio (D-Lakewood), Denise Driehaus (D-Cincinnati), Nan Baker (R-Westlake), and Stephanie Kunze (R-Hilliard).

Legislation discussed includes:

-House Bill 314, which requires a prescriber to obtain written informed consent from a minor's parent, guardian, or other person responsible for the minor before issuing a controlled substance prescription to the minor

House Bill 332, which establishes standards and procedures for opioid treatment of chronic, intractable pain resulting from noncancer conditions

-House Bill 341, which prohibits a controlled substance that is a schedule II drug or contains opioids from being prescribed or dispensed without review of patient information in the State Board of Pharmacy's Ohio Automated Rx Reporting System

-House Bill 359, which requires disclosure of the addictive nature of certain prescription drugs

-House Bill 363, which provides an immunity from arrest, prosecution, conviction, or supervised release sanctioning for a minor drug possession offense for a person who seeks or obtains medical assistance for self or another person who is experiencing a medical emergency as a result of ingesting drugs or alcohol

-House Bill 366, which requires hospice care programs to establish procedures to prevent diversion of controlled substances that contain opioids

-House Bill 367, which requires the health curriculum of each school district to include instruction in prescription opioid abuse prevention

-House Bill 369, which requires the Medicaid program and health insurers to cover certain services for recipients with opioid addictions

-House Bill 378, which prohibits a physician from prescribing or personally furnishing certain drugs to treat opioid dependence or addiction unless the patient is receiving appropriate behavioral counseling or treatment

-There are plans for legislation to be introduced requiring that opioid prescriptions for acute pain be filled in small increments instead of all at once

-There are also plans for legislation to be introduced requiring an individual to show their driver's license or photo identification when picking up an opioid prescription