HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - 2016.09.22 - 22611MISCELLANEOUS RESOLUTION 016265
BY: Commissioner Bill Dwyer, District #14
IN RE: SUPPORT OF SENATE BILLS 769, 700, 701 AND 772 TO COMBAT OPIOID PRESCRIPTION
DRUG ABUSE IN MICHIGAN
To the Oakland County Board of Commissioners
Chairperson, Ladies and Gentlemen:
WHEREAS drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental death in the United States, with 47,055
lethal drug overdoses in 2014. Opioid addiction is driving this epidemic, with 18,893 overdose deaths
related to prescription pain relievers, and 10,574 overdose deaths related to heroin in 2014; and
WHEREAS according to the data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), "nearly
one-third of people aged 12 and over who used drugs for the first time in 2009 began by using a
prescription drug non-medically; and
WHEREAS in 2012, 259 million prescriptions were written for opioids, which is more than enough to give
every American adult their own bottle of pills; and
WHEREAS while U.S. residents constitute less than 5% of the world population, they consume 80% of
the global opioid supply and 99% of the global hydrocodone supply; and
WHEREAS four in five new heroin users started out misusing prescription painkillers according to the
Center for Disease Control and Prevention; and
WHEREAS statistics show that 44 people die in the United States every day from an overdose of
prescription painkillers, more than cocaine and heroin combined; and
WHEREAS in Michigan, the number of drug overdose deaths — a majority of which are from prescription
drugs — has tripled since 1999; and
WHEREAS nonmedical use of prescription painkillers costs health insurers up to $72.5 billion annually in
direct health-care costs; and
WHEREAS the Michigan Prescription Drug & Opioid Abuse Task Force was formed in 2015 and charged
with examining recent trends in prescription drug and opioid abuse, evaluating strategic options, and
developing a statewide action plan; and
WHEREAS the Task Force was composed of 21 members, including state lawmakers, government
officials, court officials, law enforcement personnel, medical professionals, and other stakeholders in the
fight against prescription drug abuse; and
WHEREAS the Task Force issued a report on October 26, 2015 including numerous recommendations
for steps that should be taken to address this burgeoning problem in Michigan; and
WHEREAS Senate Bills 769, 770, 771 and 772 have been introduced to implement the Task Force
recommendations targeted at "doctor shopping," a practice in which patients may go to several doctors in
an effort to get multiple prescriptions, and to increase penalties on physicians who overprescribe these
controlled substances; and
WHEREAS Senate Bills 769 and 770 would require doctors to check the Michigan Automated
Prescription System, or MAPS, before prescribing medications to new patients. MAPS is used to identify
and prevent drug diversion at all levels, from the prescribing physician, to the pharmacy, and finally to the
patient, by collecting prescriptions for schedule two to schedule five controlled substances; and
WHEREAS Senate Bills 771 and 772 would increase penalties for physicians who overprescribe the
specified controlled substances. Currently a misdemeanor punishable by two years, this legislation would
increase the penalty to a felony, punishable by up to 15 years in prison; and
WHEREAS adoption of this legislation would to help stem the tide of increasing opioid addiction and save
lives in Michigan and Oakland County.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners support the
passage of Senate Bills 769, 770, 771 and 772 and request that the Michigan Legislature act
expeditiously to adopt this necessary legislation.
Chairperson, I move the adoption of the foregoing resolution.
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Commissioner Bifil:rwyV
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Resolution #16265 September 22, 2016
The Chairperson referred the resolution to the General Government Committee. There were no
objections.