Doctors will only be able to prescribe Kentuckians a three-day supply of opioid painkillers under House Bill 333, which now awaits the governor’s signature.
State Sen. Whitney Westerfield, a Republican from Hopkinsville, said the bill will help attack the state’s opioid addiction crisis.
"I think this is a good first step towards cracking down on too much medicine getting out there in our communities,” he said.
The legislation creates several exemptions for doctors to write opioid prescriptions that last longer than 3-days, including people suffering from chronic pain or in cancer and end-of-life situations.
The legislation would also increase the penalties for trafficking synthetic opioids like fentanyl, which has been blamed for recent spikes in drug overdoses in several Kentucky communities.
Those caught trafficking even the smallest amount of fentanyl could be charged with a Class C felony under the legislation.
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