Thursday, June 23, 2016
LANSING, Mich. – To help reduce the opioid epidemic in Michigan and ensure the health and safety of Michigan residents, Gov. Rick Snyder today created the Michigan Prescription Drug and Opioid Abuse Commission.
The commission, created through Executive Order No. 2016-15, will be comprised of state and independent health experts, and be responsible for monitoring indicators of controlled substance abuse and diversion in the state. The commission also will make recommendations to the governor for actions involving licensing, law enforcement, substance abuse treatment and prevention, education, professional associations and pharmaceutical manufacturers.
Serving as an advisory board within the Executive Office, the commission will review the recommendations issued by the Michigan Prescription Drug and Opioid Abuse Task Force last fall, and develop and propose policies and an action plan to implement recommendations in the report.
“Prescription drug and opioid abuse is a very serious issue impacting people in communities all across our state,” Snyder said. “We need to take action to address this epidemic before addiction takes its toll on more innocent people.”
Chaired by Lt. Gov. Brian Calley, the task force examined recent trends, evaluated strategic options and developed the statewide action plan. The creation of this commission was a recommendation of the task force.
“With prescription drug and opioid addiction on the rise in Michigan, it’s essential that we work together to prevent drug-related deaths and protect the health and safety of Michiganders,” Calley said.
The 17-member commission will include individuals representing the medical, psychological, dentistry, pharmaceutical, and veterinary industries, as well as law enforcement, hospice, substance abuse providers, sufferers of chronic pain and the general public.
Membership will consist of one allopathic doctor, one osteopathic doctor, one dentist, one veterinarian, one physician’s assistant, one registered professional nurse, one pharmacist, two law enforcement officers, one psychologist, one representative from a Michigan hospice organization, one chronic pain sufferer, one representative from a Michigan medical school, one representative from a statewide pharmacy association, one representative of pharmaceutical manufacturers, one substance abuse treatment provider, and one member representing the general public.
The full text of Executive Order 2016-15 is available here.
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