opioid subscriptions for new patients to seven days and included screening for middle school and high school students.
The state’s Department of Public Health also launched the Massachusetts prescription monitoring program earlier this year, which mandates all practitioners in Massachusetts to research a patient’s prescribing history in the state’s Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) before they were prescribed benzodiazepines and a narcotic in Schedule II or III for the first time. Last October the program was revised to require doctors to query the PMP database every time they prescribe a Schedule II or Schedule III narcotic. It also requires pharmacies to report their narcotic dispensing activities on a daily basis.
According to David Rosenbloom, who co-wrote the article on the Angel Program’s success, what makes the program so successful is that the officers treat participants “with respect and with no stigma.”
Author: Cesar Gamboa
Cesar Gamboa is a staff reporter and editor for Addiction Now covering topics ranging from legislation to scientific studies. He was previously a general assignment reporter for the Orange County Register. SoCal raised, lover of books, and avid mountain biker (when he wants to be). He can be reached at cesarg@addictionnow.com.
