Massachusetts Residents: Revised Benzo Bill Reintroduced

[FuzzyDunlop]

They are trying to pass some really great legislation regarding the prescription of benzos in Massachusetts. You can read the proposed bill here and it is really all I could ask for, please take a few moments to read it through:

 

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/190/S1092

 

A lot of people in the various benzo Facebook groups are passing this along so I just wanted to provide the template that people are using to contact their local reps but people are also writing their own personal testimonies and many plan on testifying in court if the bill can make it that far. I was hoping that this is something you all would be passionate about as your stories are just one more that we need to finally make the doctors and pharmaceutical companies crack down on this since it's such an uphill battle to fight them.

 

URGENT MESSAGE TO MASSACHUSETTS RESIDENTS:

The new 2017 Benzo Bill HD2918 "An Act Relative to Benzodiazepines and Non Benzodiazepine Hypnotics" has been filed and we only have SEVEN days to get co-sponsors to the bill. We need as many Massachusetts residents as possible to contact your Representative and Senator and ask them to support HD2918

I will put up the link to the bill as soon as it is on the State House website.

If you do not know who your Representative or Senator is, you can go to http://www.wheredoivotema.com/bal/MyElectionInfo.aspx. and type in your address and it will give you that information.

We had 47 co-sponsors last year which was really good. Let's try to get more co-sponsors this time. Don't put this off, make the call now or send an email if that is easier. Get as many Massachusetts people as possible to contact their Representative and Senators as possible!

If you have any specific questions about the bill or want to know if your Representative or Senator has signed on yet, you can email garrett.burns@mahouse.gov

Feel free to share this announcement with as many groups and people as possible.

I'm putting below a sample of what we did last time of an email any Massachusetts residents can use to send to their State Representative and Senator. You can add more to it if you want, but we made it brief and to the point. We want them to support the bill. If you can try to get this done this weekend so we can see on Monday how many have supported the bill, that would be great.

Dear Representative or Senator (put last name and send individually)________________:

I am a resident of (Name of city or town) and am asking you to support Representative Paul McMurtry’s proposed bill HD2918 - An Act relative to benzodiazepines and non-benzodiazepine hypnotics.
I feel this proposed bill will go a long way towards correcting the irresponsible prescribing practices of doctors when it comes to these powerful drugs. This will save our state money with healthcare costs for those who have been on them longer than two to four week or those who are on disability as a result of taking them long term when they were intended for short term use.

I urge you to please review Representative Paul McMurtry’s Bill HD2918 and consider co-sponsoring the bill.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Sincerely,

Your Name
Your Address

 

[scallywag]

Some highlights of the proposed legislation:

• cautionary statement about long-term use must be on the label of the prescription
   
• no refills for prescriptions less than 10 days
   
• prescribing practitioner must obtain written informed consent before prescribing; informed consent form (written by state health department) will include information about
  (i) misuse and abuse by adults and children;
  (ii) risk of dependency and addiction; and
  (iii) risks associated with long-term use of the drugs.