A RESOLUTION

 

1Establishing the task force on opiate prescription drug
2proliferation and its impact on heroin use in this
3Commonwealth; and creating an advisory committee.

4WHEREAS, The United States makes up 4.5% of the world's
5population; and

6WHEREAS, The United States consumes 80% of the opiate
7prescription drugs; and

8WHEREAS, The human suffering associated with addiction for
9affected families has now reached epidemic proportions; and

10WHEREAS, Criminal court dockets are crowded with people who
11are living with an addiction to prescription drugs; and

12WHEREAS, The death toll is surging from opiate prescription
13drug overdoses; and

14WHEREAS, Those who become addicted to prescription drugs,
15left untreated, tend to shift to abusing heroin, and this has
16resulted in a huge increase in heroin use across this
17Commonwealth; and

1WHEREAS, The proliferation of opiate prescription drug abuse
2has become a crisis; therefore be it

3RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives direct the Joint
4State Government Commission to establish a task force on opiate
5prescription drug proliferation; and be it further

6RESOLVED, That the task force consist of four members
7appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, two
8appointed in consultation with the Majority Leader and two
9appointed in consultation with the Minority Leader; and be it
10further 

11RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission create
12an advisory committee, including, but not limited to, the
13following individuals:

14(1) A representative recommended by the Department of
15Drug and Alcohol Programs.

16(2) A representative recommended by the Department of
17Public Welfare.

18(3) A representative recommended by the Insurance
19Department.

20(4) A physician recommended by the Department of Health.

21(5) A representative recommended by the State Board of
22Pharmacy.

23(6) A representative recommended by the Attorney
24General.

25(7) A representative recommended by the Pennsylvania
26Fraternal Order of Police.

27(8) A representative recommended by the Pennsylvania
28Athletic Oversight Committee.

29(9) Two physicians recommended by the Pennsylvania
30Medical Society, one of whom holds membership in the American

1Society of Addiction Medicine and the other who is a
2physician with expertise in chronic pain management and
3treatment.

4(10) A physician who is a member of the Pennsylvania
5Psychiatric Society specializing in addiction psychiatry.

6(11) A representative recommended by the Drug and
7Alcohol Service Providers Organization of Pennsylvania.

8(12) A representative recommended by the Pennsylvania
9Recovery Organizations Alliance.

10(13) A representative recommended by a manufacturer of
11opioid drugs.

12(14) A representative recommended by the Pennsylvania
13District Attorneys Association.

14(15) A representative recommended by the Pennsylvania
15Coroners Association.

16(16) A representative of chronic pain patients
17recommended by a physician with expertise in chronic pain
18management.

19(17) A representative of pharmacists recommended by the
20Pennsylvania Association of Chain Drug Stores.

21(18) A representative of pharmacies recommended by the
22Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association.

23(19) A representative recommended by the Pennsylvania
24State Nurses Association;

25and be it further

26RESOLVED, That the advisory committee examine existing laws
27relative to the prescribing and dispensing of prescription
28opiate drugs; and be it further

29RESOLVED, That the advisory committee gather facts from
30existing public hearings that have been held by legislative

1committees; and be it further

2RESOLVED, That the task force and advisory committee make a
3report to the General Assembly with suggested changes to current
4State laws and regulations that will provide for safer and more
5effective pain management practices, ensure that pain management
6practitioners are sufficiently trained in identifying addiction
7and referring addicted patients to appropriate care and help
8combat the proliferation of misuse and abuse of opiate
9prescription drugs within one year of the adoption of this
10resolution.