91原创

Last year there were 949 confirmed deaths from opioids in Arizona. Declaring a public health emergency, Governor Doug Ducey ordered the Arizona Department of Health Services to come up with a plan to combat the epidemic.

In Sept. 2017, ADHS released the which formed the basis for the.

The act passed unanimously during a Jan. 2018 special session of the legislature, reflecting a true bipartisan act expected to save lives.

Now, almost a year later, the act has shown considerable progress in its efforts to 鈥渃urb addictions, expand access to treatment and save lives.鈥�

鈥�The opioid epidemic act is being recognized nationally in terms of the gains that Arizona has been able to make. I think it’s because we were able to, in a bipartisan fashion, a year ago, come together and focus,鈥� Governor Doug Ducey said.

According to the Office of the Governor, 鈥渋n 2018, Arizona has seen a:

• 36 percent decrease in the number of opioid prescriptions, compared to 2016;
• 60 percent decrease in the number of patients potentially doctor shopping, compared to July 2017;
• 58 percent increase in the percent of overdoses referred to behavioral health providers, compared to July 2017;
• 296 percent increase in the number of naloxone doses dispensed by pharmacies, compared to Sept. 2017.
• 37 percent increase in the percent of providers who are checking the Controlled Substance Prescription Monitoring Program, compared to July 2017;
• 78 percent decrease in the number of opioid na茂ve patients given prescriptions for over 90 MME since 2016*;
• and 56 percent decrease in the number of opioid na茂ve patients given prescriptions longer than 5 days, compared to 2016**.

*The average prescription dosage amount in Arizona is 62 MME. At 90 MME or more, the risk of death increases tenfold compared to 20 MME or less.

**The probability of long-term opioid use increases most sharply in the first days of therapy, particularly after five days.鈥�

According to Ducey, the state is heading in the right direction but there鈥檚 鈥渕uch more left to do.鈥�