Lt. Governor Brian Calley discusses legislation to combat opioid crisis

MARQUETTE — In an interview with ABC 10, Lieutenant Governor Brian Calley discussed the six bills he recently signed to combat the opioid crisis in Michigan. He said the crisis has become a national emergency that has taken and destroyed many lives.

“The opioid epidemic has swept across our nation. It’s affecting every single corner of our state,” he said. “Now, the opioid and addiction overdoes take more lives than car accidents every year.”

Calley chaired the Prescription Drug and Opioid Abuse Task Force, which gave recommendations to create this legislative package. He added that this legislation will utilize the Michigan Automated Prescription System, which helps doctors recognize when addiction is more likely to occur, indicate which patients are “doctor shopping” or diverting the drugs.

“It’s all about prevention and earlier detection,  whether that’s making patients partners in their own pain management, making sure that they have all the information they need about the dangers of these prescriptions, or having educational partnerships and helping kids recognize the danger and not just assuming they know, but helping them to recognize [the dangers of these prescriptions],” he said.

Calley signed the legislation on December 27th when Governor Rick Snyder was out of state, as allowed by the Michigan Constitution.