PA Governor Tom Wolf Says He Will Not Give Up the Fight Against Opioid Abuse

Opioid and heroin abuse is an epidemic Pennsylvania struggles to overcome every day. In 2015, more than 3,300 people in Pennsylvania died as a result of an overdose, on average 10 people per day.

Gov. Tom Wolf called drug overdoses in Pennsylvania a plague during a stop Wednesday in Montgomery County. He said 3,300 people died in the state during 2015 from overdoses and he expects that number to go up in 2016. Here’s some of his plan.

Governor Tom Wolf signed legislation in 2016 limiting emergency room doctors to a seven-day limit on any opioid prescription. In order to manage and control how many people are using prescription drugs, the legislation also requires prescribers to check a drug database everytime doctors prescribe opioids.

“I chose to fight the opioid crisis head on,” Wolf said.

Medical marijuana is now legal in the state of Pennsylvania. NBC10’s George Spencer has been following our region’s marijuana debate for two years now. He has the latest on what leaders are hailing as a big step forward in Harrisburg.

The plan of action his administration has developed in response to the opioid crisis includes:

Holding 91 opioid roundtable discussions
Development of 45 treatment centers for those battling addiction
Working to limit opioid prescriptions to minors
Improving education for opioid prescribers
Strengthening the prescription drug monitoring program
Limiting opioid prescriptions to emergency room patients
Expanding drop-off locations for unwanted prescription drugs

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf wants the state to do more to fight opioid addiction while the city has released data on the total amount of deadly overdoses by neighborhood.

Wolf notes that his concern about drug use in the state extends beyond opioids. He's been reluctant to pass a recreational marijuana bill, he says, because, “I don’t think Pennsylvania is ready for it.”