SACRAMENTO—Assembly Bills 1751 and 1753 were signed into law by the Governor today. Assemblymember Evan Low (D-Silicon Valley) is the author of both bills aimed at fighting the opioid crisis by addressing the overprescribing, diversion, and abuse of prescription drugs like opioids. These bills are a core component of a larger package of legislation aimed at combatting the opioid crisis.
AB 1751 creates a framework for connecting California’s prescription drug monitoring program (CURES) with other state databases, and AB 1753 helps law enforcement combat fraudulently obtained prescription pads.
“Californians are dying needlessly. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as many as 50,000 Americans died of an opioid overdose in 2016 – an increase of 28% over the prior year. These death rates exceed those at the height of the AIDS epidemic,” said Assemblymember Low. “By signing these bills into law, the Governor has taken a significant step toward ending this crisis in California.”
Each day, the opioid epidemic claims 91 American lives. On top of that, it is estimated that over two million Americans struggle with opioid addiction. While California as a whole has not been the hardest hit, many rural counties in the state have some of the highest overdose rates in the country. For state and county overdose statistics, visit the California Opioid Overdose Surveillance Dashboard.
