It has been several years since Michigan’s legislators and law enforcement officials realized that Michigan has a problem. Think “drug abuse”, and most people think heroin, or cocaine, or even meth. What they don’t tend to think about is prescription drug abuse. Weâre talking about legal medications designed to help people heal and manage pain. Yet those are the drugs that have crippled a generation, and introduced more addiction than almost any other illicit substance since laudanum was removed from the market as a general ‘cure-all.’
What is Michigan doing to fight the opioid crisis?
Last October, then-Lt. Gov. Brian Calley introduced a new website, launched by the state of Michigan to help fight the opioid crisis. The website aims to provide information about the problem, which will help by educating people and increasing awareness. But surely the people of Michigan need more than awareness about our rising opioid problems? Surely we need active help for the millions of people currently struggling with prescription abuse? State Representative Joe Bellino thinks so.
New legislation has been introduced that might help.
House Bill 5857, which was introduced by Bellino in April of 2018, is waiting on a vote in the House Health Policy Committee. But Bellino is convinced it’s the solution Michigan needs to help our residents overcome their opioid addictions. So what does it entail? Let’s take a look:
- House Bill 5857 would require that all addictive opioids and Schedule II drugs be stored in locking prescription vials. This will prevent teens from sneaking small numbers of pills from the family medicine cabinet. Hoping no one will notice.
According to Bellino, he’s glad to see the state making resources and information available, but it isn’t enough. “We need to work on prevention, as much as awareness and educationâŚ.The longer we wait to pass this important legislation, the more teens will begin this dangerous cycle of abuse.”
How does Michigan currently deal with opioid addicts?
While the state recognizes that addiction is terrible, and many lives are destroyed by it, drug abuse is still against the law in Michigan. Whether you’re stealing a prescription pad from a doctor in Farmington HIlls, selling prescription drugs to high schoolers in Lansing, or taking prescription meds that were prescribed to someone else in Grand Rapids, you could be looking at very serious drug charges! And by very serious, we mean up to decades behind bars and thousands in fines and court costs! It happens every day in courtrooms in Livingston County, Isabella County and Wexford County.
Always make sure you have a top drug crimes defense attorney!
If you or a loved one have been accused of stealing prescription meds, selling opioids, or simply using the drugs yourself, you’re going to need help from a highly skilled and experienced drug crimes defense attorney! People who have been charged with drug crimes, especially those relating to opioid abuse, have a pitched battle ahead! Find the very best drug defense attorney you can afford. They arenât cheap, but neither is time behind bars.
Due to the rising number of people struggling with opioid addiction, and the increasing number of associated deaths every year, prescription drug crimes are taken very seriously!
Call 866 766 5245 (866 7No Jail) and get the right help, from the lawyers who really can make a positive difference in your case. The problem doesnât go away and the right defense attorney is critical to your case. The criminal defense team has helped hundreds of Michigan clients since the last century.