Michigan patients now have less access to opioids for severe pain. This is the final law to take effect in a package of bills signed last year.
Last year, lawmakers put together a package of legislation aimed at making opioids less available to the public.
They said it would help decrease the likelihood of addiction.
The last bill went into effect this week.
It prevents doctors from prescribing patients more than a 7-day supply of opioids for acute pain.
Doctors also can only refill prescription after 7-days have passed.
Lieutenant Governor Brian Calley signed the legislation. He said if you take opioids for two weeks, you’re already on the road to addiction.
“If you’re still having that much pain that you need literally heroin in a pill form after that period of time then maybe there’s something else wrong that needs to be evaluated and fixed.”
Governor Rick Snyder says lawmakers are looking at additional bills to help curb opioid addiction.
“I’m proud of what we’ve gotten done, but this is an ongoing question.”
Gov. Snyder says a task force is currently looking at what other states are doing around the country to figure out best practices.
The rest of the laws in the opioid legislation package have already taken effect.
Those laws include a requirement that doctors talk to patients about the risks of opioids before prescribing them.
Editor's Note: The original post said the laws went into effect Monday, July 2. The laws actually began on July 1. We regret the error.
