“A joint study by the Dartmouth Institute of Health Policy and Clinical Practice and the UCLA School of Law casts doubt on the effectiveness of laws aimed at curbing opioid prescription abuse.
The study found that these laws — which restrict the prescribing and dispensing of controlled substances — have little effect on reducing addiction in disabled workers under age 65.
This is the demographic that has consistently struggled the most with opioid addiction nationwide.
From 2006 to 2012, states added 81 laws to limit access to controlled substances. The researchers looked at the effectiveness of those laws — such as prescription drug monitoring programs — and found they did little to reduce the amount of opioids this population group obtained.
Read more at: http://digital.vpr.net/post/study-finds-opioid-laws-dont-curb-opioid-addiction-most-vulnerable-populations#stream/0
Source: Vermont Public Radio – Vermont’s NPR News Source Vermont’s NPR News Source June 23, 2016
