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State opioid policies could be decreasing long-term dispensing

The prevalence of longer-term dispensing of opioids has dropped considerably in a number of states that have implemented policies and initiatives to combat the opioid epidemic, according to a new study by the Workers Compensation Research Institute.

By Katie Kuehner-Hebert | Updated on August 03, 2017
State efforts to battle the opioid epidemic could be gaining traction. Photo: Getty Images

The prevalence of longer-term dispensing of opioids has dropped considerably in a number of states that have implemented policies and initiatives to combat the opioid epidemic, according to a new study by the Workers Compensation Research Institute.

The Cambridge, Mass.-based nonprofit tracked the prevalence of longer-term dispensing of opioids in 26 states during two study periods — from 2010 to 2012 and then again from 2013 to 2015 — and found that the prevalence of longer-term opioid dispensing decreased in most study states. WCRI found even more noticeable drops for several states in the 2016 edition of the study, likely due to numerous legislative and regulatory changes within these states aimed at addressing issues related to opioid prescribing and chronic opioid management, both within and outside workers’ compensation.

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Katie Kuehner-Hebert

Katie Kuehner-Hebert

Katie Kuehner-Hebert is a freelance writer based in Running Springs, Calif. She has more than three decades of journalism experience, with particular expertise in employee benefits and other human resource topics.

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