Rep. Sprague, Rx Addiction Study Committee Members Discuss Findings and Recommendations

Today, the Chairman of the House Prescription Drug Addiction and Healthcare Reform Study Committee, Robert Sprague (R-Findlay), was joined by members of the study committee at a press conference to discuss the study committee’s recommendations and findings.

The study committee, which was initiated by the Speaker of the Ohio House, William G. Batchelder (R-Medina), as an effort to address drug abuse and addiction, reached out to Ohioans through a series of regional hearings intended to elicit ideas and feedback from interested parties.

“As a General Assembly, we can take steps to fight this epidemic,” said Rep. Sprague. “First, we must strive to limit the amount of opioids being prescribed through our medical system, thereby slowing the rate of new people becoming addicted. Second, we need to prevent people who are already addicted from diverting more pills from the medical system. Third, we need to keep people alive even while they are consumed by the misery of their addiction in the hopes that they will eventually get treatment and recover. And forth, we need to integrate addiction treatment that is now practiced in medical silos, and fund our court system’s specialty dockets that are clearly providing success in getting people off opioids.”

The report also outlines potential opportunities for legislation that will incorporate suggestions from the more than 80 witnesses who testified before the committee.

More details about the study committee’s recommendations can be found in the attached report.