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Gov. Ducey signs bill into law allowing for some opioid prescription limits exceptions

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey signed a bill into law on Wednesday that would allow for some exceptions on prescription limits for opioids. 

The law allows for exceptions for people suffering from extreme, debilitating chronic pain, and the limited dose is still not helping. 

In Arizona, doctors are limited to prescribing 90 milligrams of morphine, or the equivalent in other drugs.

But if a doctor has an understood medical history of the patient and has performed a physical, the patient can receive a higher dose if recommended.

The law includes a section that requires the prescription of naloxone as well to treat overdoses.

Some lawmakers were concerned that this bill would only make the opioid epidemic worse, while others worried it didn’t provide guard rails for doctors who overprescribe. 

Greg Hahne started as a news intern at KJZZ in 2020 and returned as a field correspondent in 2021. He learned his love for radio by joining Arizona State University's Blaze Radio, where he worked on the production team.