Thursday 28th March 2024

The Missouri House has given initial approval to a bill that would require the creation of a statewide prescription drug monitoring system. Missouri is the only state in the nation to not have such a database to check for cases of misuse and abuse.
Bill sponsor Holly Rehder, a Republican from Scott City, says the state needs to battle drug addiction problems on the front end.

Representative Justin Hill, a fellow Republican and former police officer from the St. Louis suburb of Lake St. Louis, says the proposal will not stop illegal drug problems.
“I want to get somewhere where we can save lives,” Hill said. “But if we implement this bill as drafted, we are condemning people to death because fentanyl and heroin are right here and waiting.”
The GOP House Speaker and the House Democratic Leader both voted in favor of the bill. One more favorable vote would send the measure to the Senate.

—MISSOURINET