8303. Definitions.
§ 8301. Short title of chapter.
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the Emergency
Addiction Treatment Act.
§ 8302. Declaration of policy.
The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:
(1) More than 219,000,000 prescriptions for opioid
painkillers were written in the United States in 2014.
(2) Sales of opioid painkillers generated more than
$11,000,000,000 in revenue in 2009 and are expected to grow
to more than $15,000,000,000 in 2016.
(3) This Commonwealth is in the middle of a major drug
epidemic, primarily driven by opioid painkillers and heroin.
(4) In 2013, there were more than 2,525 drug overdose
deaths in this Commonwealth.
(5) Heroin-related admissions to addiction treatment
programs in this Commonwealth increased by 17% in 2014. The
heroin problem is being driven by prescription drug
addiction.
(6) The widespread availability, overmarketing and
overprescribing of opioid painkillers have resulted in
increases in overdose deaths, emergency room admissions,
admissions to addiction treatment programs and crime, all of
which adversely impact State and local budgets.
(7) State and county funding for addiction treatment
programs is insufficient to handle the increased demand for
addiction treatment.
§ 8303. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this chapter
shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
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