“In the emergency department, we see four to five overdoses a day. They’re not any using (prescription) medications. They’re using fentanyl and heroin.”
On the other hand, proponents of the bill suggest that the legislation is grounded in sound research. Studies have shown that drug addicts were more likely to have used pain medication at the onset of opioid abuse.
For instance, patients who received 30-day prescriptions for addictive pain relievers were nearly 30 percent more likely to develop an addiction than those who received three-day prescriptions.
When the Governor spoke at a Florida Medical Association opioid summit in Tampa last week, he indicated that he is flexible on the three-day limit.
“The goal is to have a conversation and get everybody involved so as we go through this legislative session we have a bill that passes that is going to work to deal with the crisis,” Scott said.
