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Feds Propose 10% Opioid Quota Cut
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) have proposed a reduction for controlled substances that may be manufactured in the U.S. next year.
Consistent with President Trump’s “Safe Prescribing Plan” that seeks to “cut nationwide opioid prescription fills by one-third within three years,” the proposal decreases manufacturing quotas for the most six frequently misused opioids for 2019 by an average ten percent as compared to the 2018 amount.
The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) marks the third straight year of proposed reductions, which help reduce the amount of drugs potentially diverted for trafficking and used to facilitate addiction.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions said, “The opioid epidemic that we are facing today is the worst drug crisis in American history. President Trump has set the ambitious goal of reducing opioid prescription rates by one-third in three years. We embrace that goal and are resolutely committed to reaching it.”
According to the National Prescription Audit, we have already made significant progress in reducing prescription rates over the past year. Cutting opioid production quotas by an average of ten percent next year will help us continue that progress and make it harder to divert these drugs for abuse.
DEA Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon said, “We’ve lost too many lives to the opioid epidemic and families and communities suffer tragic consequences every day. This significant drop in prescriptions by doctors and DEA’s production quota adjustment will continue to reduce the amount of drugs available for illicit diversion and abuse while ensuring that patients will continue to have access to proper medicine.”
United States Attorney Kurt G. Alme voiced support for the proposed rulemaking. Alme stated, “The Safe Prescribing Plan provides valuable support for our efforts across Montana to reduce the amount of unlawfully diverted opioid medications. This plan reduces the production of these highly addictive medications for the third year in a row and will help reduce the amounts of these drugs potentially diverted to drug traffickers.”
The proposed rule will be sent to state attorneys general, including Montana Attorney General Tim Fox, who will be involved in the process.
The DEA has proposed to reduce more commonly prescribed schedule II opioids, including oxycodone, hydrocodone, oxymorphone, hydromorphone, morphine, and fentanyl. The final rule also promotes greater involvement from state attorneys general.
Ultimately, revised limits will encourage vigilance on the part of opioid manufacturers, help DEA respond to the changing drug threat environment, and protect the American people from potential addictive drugs while ensuring that the country has enough opioids for legitimate medical, scientific, research, and industrial needs.
Key Facts
- State: Montana
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime|Cybercrime|Public Corruption|Weapons|Human Trafficking|White Collar Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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