Haslam announces Aggressive, Comprehensive Plan to End Tennessee’s Opioid Epidemic
January 22, 2018
TN Together Fights Opioid Addiction through Prevention, Treatment and Law Enforcement
Nashville, TN – Joined by leadership from the House and Senate and Chief Justice Jeff Bivins, Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam on Monday announced an aggressive and comprehensive plan to end the opioid epidemic in Tennessee by focusing on three major components: prevention, treatment and law enforcement.
TN Together is a multi-faceted initiative that addresses the issue of opioid addiction through legislation, proposed funding in the governor’s 2018-19 budget and executive actions.
Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam.
CDC reports Opioid prescribing is still high, varies widely throughout the United States
July 6, 2017
Washington, D.C. – The amount of opioids prescribed in the United States peaked in 2010 and then decreased each year through 2015, but remains at high levels and varies from county to county in the U.S., according to the latest Vital Signs report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
In 2015 six times more opioids per resident were dispensed in the highest-prescribing counties than in the lowest-prescribing counties. This wide variation suggests inconsistent prescribing practices among healthcare providers and that patients receive different care depending on where they live.
Tennessee Department of Health reports New Law Restricts amount of some Powerful Drugs that can be Dispensed in Tennessee
October 12, 2013
Nashville, TN – Effective this month, under a new Tennessee law, prescriptions for opioid pain medicines and benzodiazepine medicines may not be dispensed in Tennessee in quantities exceeding a 30-day supply.
The new limits apply to all dispensers of these medications, including pharmacies, dispensaries and mail-order programs located either in or out of Tennessee. [Read more]
