LIFESAVING OPIOID EPIDEMIC BILL CLEARS COMMITTEE

Bipartisan proposal to ensure Coloradans suffering from opioid addictions have access to lifesaving drugs passes committee

DENVER, CO– The House Public & Behavioral Health & Human Services committee today passed Rep. Kyle Mullica’s bipartisan bill to make lifesaving overdose reversal drugs more widely available. The bill passed by a vote of 11-2.

“The opioid epidemic has taken countless precious lives away from families across Colorado, despite the fact that we have an effective drug that can reverse overdoses and save lives,” said Rep. Kyle Mullica, D-Northglenn. “As a nurse, I know how important it is that we educate the public, especially individuals taking high doses of opioids, about the lifesaving potential of naloxone. I’m proud that this bill moved forward today and look forward to it becoming law. We have no time to waste.”

SB21-011 would require pharmacists to offer an opioid antagonist, such as Naloxone or Naltrexone, when filling a high-dose opioid prescription or an opioid prescription alongside another medication that could place the patient at risk of an overdose. This will ensure that people have life-saving medicine on hand in case of an overdose or when experiencing symptoms of an opioid addiction. The bill would also ensure that patients have the information they need to protect themselves and stay safe.