5 Things to Know About the Opioid Bill
President Trump, who labeled the opioid epidemic a national emergency earlier this year, recently signed the bill ⎼ the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act ⎼ into law. Below are five important components of this law and how they can impact addiction and treatment.
Drug Overdoses and the 911 Good Samaritan Law
In the case of a drug overdose, as with many medical emergencies, a matter of minutes can make all the difference between life and death. Yet, many people delay calling 911, or sometimes don’t call at all. And it’s not just drug dealers or complete strangers who are hesitating to call ⎼ it is parents, friends, loved ones. It is the individual overdosing. Not because they don’t care, but because they’re afraid of the repercussions.
The Opioid Epidemic’s Forgotten Victims
When discussing the opioid epidemic, most focus on the staggering number of overdose deaths ⎼ on average, 91 per day. As upsetting as these losses are, they are not the only victims of this deadly epidemic. The children of addicted parents are also suffering.