Indianapolis, In. — A bill authored by Republican state senator from Oldenburg Jean Leising that would help address the opioid epidemic facing Indiana passed the Senate unanimously.
Senate Bill 133 would require a pharmacist who dispenses prescription drugs that contain or are derived from opium to list on the label that the drug is an opioid.
“The opioid epidemic continues to harm our entire state, including our elderly population,” Leising said. “Many older individuals are prescribed medication for health issues, not realizing they are opioids or how addictive they can be. If passed, this bill would help improve consumer awareness and prevent our older generations from unintentionally developing a drug addiction.”
In 2018, more than 5 million opioid prescriptions were prescribed in Indiana, according to data from INSPECT, Indiana’s prescription drug monitoring program.
SB 133 will now move to the House of Representatives for further consideration.
