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Opioid Labeling Bill Easily Clears New Hampshire Senate

AP

Prescription opioids in New Hampshire could soon be marked by orange stickers on their lids. A bill passed by the state senate by a vote of 22-1 on Thursday would also require pamphlets be given out with each prescription.

The bill's sponsor, Democratic state rep Tom Loughman, says he introduced the bill after hearing stories of people who took opioids without realizing it.

“In particular, one case -- a young man who was in recovery who accidentally relapsed when he was prescribed cough medicine that contained an opioid and he didn't know it.”

The bill faced opposition from some pharmacists who favored a voluntary program instead.

The House and Senate passed slightly different versions of the bill.  Those differences will need to be reconciled before the bill heads to Governor Sununu's desk.

Jason Moon is a senior reporter and producer on the Document team. He has created longform narrative podcast series on topics ranging from unsolved murders, to presidential elections, to secret lists of police officers.
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