CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin Monday signed the first of medical bills addressing elements of West Virginia’s drug abuse epidemic.
Tomblin signed Senate Bill 335, the Access to Opioid Antagonists Act, into law Monday, providing first responders and even friends and family with life-saving medication that can be used in a drug overdose.
“The goal of SB 335 is to decrease the number of overdose deaths in West Virginia, and to provide an opportunity to seek help and overcome addiction,” Tomblin said through social media Monday. “SB 335 will allow those struggling with addiction to get on the right road to recovery, return to their families, communities and workplaces.”
Tomblin vetoed the bill two weeks prior due to technical issues, but the state Senate quickly amended and returned the bill to the governor.
The Senate Monday passed several more bills dealing with medication or addiction, all of which are expected to make their way to Tomblin for approval. The Senate approved:
* House Bill 2648, which allows authorized entities to maintain a stock of epinephrine auto-injectors to be used for an emergency. The injectors are used in instances of severe allergic reaction, such as is seen in peanut and other food allergies, which could result in harm or death. The new rules allow businesses and public entities to keep the injectors in stock and requires training for employees who would use the injectors.
* HB 2776, which allows oral pharmaceutical certified optometrists, advanced practice registered nurses and physician assistants to prescribe hydrocodone combination drugs, a class of narcotic painkillers, for no more than three days per patient. The law seeks to ease some of the prescriptive restrictions in cases of genuine need.
* HB 2880 creates a pilot program for opioid addiction recovery. The goal is to help addicts stay off of drugs and to reduce recidivism in the state’s jails and prisons.
* HB 2999, which creates neonatal abstinence centers, which treat infants who are born addicted to drugs.
Since changes were made to nearly all of the House bills, the House must concur with the changes before the bills are sent on to Tomblin for a signature.
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