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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1189 FILED ON: 1/14/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2212
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Steven S. Howitt
_________________
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act relative to patient opioid notification.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Steven S. Howitt4th Bristol1/14/2025 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1189 FILED ON: 1/14/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2212
By Representative Howitt of Seekonk, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2212) of
Steven S. Howitt relative to the issuing of the initial prescription of Schedule II controlled
dangerous substances or other opioid pain relievers. Mental Health, Substance Use and
Recovery.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 1990 OF 2023-2024.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act relative to patient opioid notification.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 Section 18C of Chapter 94C of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official
2Edition, is hereby amended by striking the section in its entirety and inserting in place thereof the
3following new section:-
4 Prior to issuing the initial prescription of a Schedule II controlled dangerous substance or
5any other opioid pain reliever which is a prescription drug in a course of treatment for acute or
6chronic pain and again prior to issuing the third prescription of the course of treatment, a
7practitioner shall discuss with the patient, or the patient’s parent or guardian if the patient is
8under 18 years of age and is not an emancipated minor, the risks associated with the drugs being
9prescribed, including but not limited to: (1) the risks of addiction and overdose associated with 2 of 2
10opioid drugs and the dangers of taking opioid drugs with alcohol, benzodiazepines, and other
11central nervous system depressants; (2) the reasons why the prescription is necessary; (3)
12alternative treatments that may be available; and (4) risks associated with the use of the drugs
13being prescribed, that there is a risk of developing a physical or psychological dependence on the
14controlled dangerous substance, and that the risks of taking more opioids than prescribed, or
15making sedatives, benzodiazepines or alcohol with opioids, can result in fatal respiratory
16depression. The practitioner shall include a note in the patient’s medical record that the patient or
17the patient’s parent or guardian, as applicable, has discussed with the practitioner the risks of
18developing a physical or psychological dependence on the control dangerous substance and
19alternative treatments that may be available.
20 This section shall not apply to a prescription for a patient who is currently in active
21treatment for cancer, receiving hospice care from a licensed hospice or palliative care, or is a
22resident of a long term care facility, or to any medications that are being prescribed for use in the
23treatment of substance abuse or opioid dependence.