CLAREMORE, Okla. — The opioid epidemic is a serious national crisis with more than 130 people overdosing each day.
Oklahoma lawmakers are fighting to combat the addiction with new bills and proposals that would limit the amount of drugs prescribed.
One new proposal hoping to make it into law this year would also make it more difficult for people to obtain drugs.
That is something Layla Freeman, founder of the non-profit Light of Hope, said would make a big impact.
Freeman said after 10 days, a person can become addicted to drugs.
One of the proposed bills, House Bill 1055, said that doctors cannot issue an initial prescription for an opioid drug that exceeds a seven day supply.
Another part of the proposal says before prescribing a schedule II narcotic, doctors must take a thorough medical history.
While the new laws and proposals are helping, Freeman said there needs to be more education.
"If we could educate children it would then educate adults," said Freeman. "We could give people awareness on how easy it is to fall into opioid addiction. How easy it is to access. and these kids are tempted with this every day."
The non-profit also provides drug awareness educational classes, assemblies and seminars to area schools, using it’s own funding to do it.
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