Walker signs opioid legislation in Wasilla ceremony

WASILLA — Flanked by First Lady Donna Walker and many of those involved with the Mat-Su Opioid Task Force, Gov. Bill Walker signed House Bill (HB) 159 into law at MyHouse Tuesday afternoon.

The bill’s main focus is implementing legislation limiting health care providers to issuing an initial opioid (narcotic) prescription to a seven-day supply. Providers, including pharmacies and veterinarians, will also be required to keep closer tabs on their opioid drugs through a shared database. Those same providers would also receive pain management and opioid use and addiction education, and see how their prescription rates compare to averages in their respective fields.

The bill stipulates pharmacists register with the controlled substance prescription database to better track prescriptions, which, Walker noted as he addressed those attending, will be updated daily instead of weekly. HB 159 also allows patients to refuse opioids during care and receive more information of the risks of opioid abuse.

The bill passed the Senate in a 17-1 vote while the House OK’d the legislation by a 25-8 margin. During his remarks leading up to the signing, Walker said he much appreciated the fact that both bodies passed the bill so quickly. He also lauded the efforts of those throughout the Valley area who took on the problem as a grassroots effort and are instrumental in helping those needing services get them.

Among those attending the event was Department of Health and Social Service Director Dr. Jay Butler, individuals involved in fighting the battle from Juneau, and many Mat-Su service and social network providers.

The bill’s passage is part of Alaska’s overall battle against the growing use of opioids and heroin. Since 2005, the opioid death rate has risen four-fold, according to figures from the Alaska Section of Epidemiology. In 2016, according to state figures, the 49 reported heroin overdoses topped the number of prescription opioid overdoses—46, for the first time since 2005.

The bill does not address heroin, just prescription opioids. State studies indicate that many of Alaska’s heroin users began their lives as opioid addicts on prescription drugs.

In mid-February of this year, Walker issued a disaster declaration freeing up the statewide distribution of naloxone (Narcan) which instantly reverses the symptoms of opioid-heroin overdoses. The governor also issued an administrative order directing state departments to prioritize resources and apply for federal grants to fund prevention, treatment and enforcement. Since then, Alaska secured funds to purchase and distribute free of charge, thousands of naloxone doses.

Contact reporter Chris Ford at 352-2270 or chris.ford@frontiersman.com