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Ohio Representative Steve Huffman
Ohio House
Passes Legislation Expanding the Use of Naloxone
Legislation is another step taken by House to address Ohio’s drug
problem
COLUMBUS—State Representative Steve Huffman (R-Tipp City) today
applauded the passage of House Bill 4 through the Ohio House of
Representatives. This legislation works to take further strides in
curtailing the opiate drug epidemic in Ohio by expanding access to a
life-saving medication.
House Bill 4 expands access to naloxone, a medication used to protect
an individual experiencing an opioid-related drug overdose. Naloxone
reverses the effects of opioids during an overdose, which can
effectively shut down a person’s respiratory system.
“I rose on the House Floor today to recommend the bill’s passage. As an
Emergency Medical Physician and a former County Coroner, House Bill 4
is an important piece of legislation that needed to be passed.”
“After working through many incidents in my district involving an
opiate-related drug overdose, I believe this bill is a step in the
right direction towards solving Ohio’s drug epidemic.”
The bill allows a physician to authorize naloxone to a patient who is
at risk of overdosing or to a person who might be able to assist that
patient during an opioid-induced overdose. House Bill 4 also requires a
physician to have in writing certain protocol for furnishing naloxone.
Additionally, pharmacists will have the ability to dispense the
medication with this bill’s passage.
As amended in committee, the legislation also now requires the Ohio
Department of Health to create a model protocol for naloxone and gives
it permission to sell the medication wholesale to law enforcement
officials. Health departments will also have the ability to issue
naloxone protocols through their medical director or health
commissioner.
House Bill 4 passed with bipartisan support on the House floor and it
will now head to the Senate for further consideration.
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