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VOL. 42 | NO. 3 | Friday, January 19, 2018
Haslam touts $30m plan to fight opioid epidemic
NASHVILLE (AP) — Gov. Bill Haslam is touting a $30 million plan that focuses on prevention, treatment and law enforcement to attack an opioid epidemic that kills three Tennesseans a day.
The Republican released details in a news conference Monday alongside Senate Speaker Randy McNally, House Speaker Beth Harwell, Supreme Court Chief Justice Jeffrey Bivins and others.
Treatment and recovery services would get a $25 million improvement through state and federal money.
People would be limited to initial prescriptions of a five-day supply and a daily dosage limit of the equivalent of 40 morphine milligrams, with limits similarly affecting TennCare recipients.
Prevention education would increase in elementary and secondary schools.
The proposal would add opioid-focused Tennessee Bureau of Investigation agents.
Democratic lawmakers said the proposal isn't enough because Medicaid needs to be expanded.