Recent news reports suggest that the abuse of opioids in prescription drugs has reached near-epic proportions both in Naples and throughout the rest of the U.S. The rise in prescription medication abuse has prompted legislation that some might even accuse of deterring doctors from prescribing drugs when they may be warranted. Many clients come to us here at The Caldarone Law Group, P.A. confused as to whether their prescription drug use might be considered criminal. If you share the same concern, know that understanding the laws regarding medication prescribing and use may help protect you (and your doctor) from facing criminal accusations.
The law specifically addressing the prescribing of certain opioid medications recently changes in Florida. According to the Florida Medical Association, new legislation introduced in March of this year amended the law concerning the amount of opioids your doctor can prescribe. According to the new regulations, when dealing with acute pain (which is defined as the normal physiological and time-limited response related to trauma, progressive illness or surgery), your doctor can only prescribe a three-day supply of opioid medications (as defined in Schedule II of the state’s drug schedules).
Certain exceptions may allow you to extend that three-day supply to a seven-day supply. These include:
- Your doctor’s documented professional opinion that such a supply is needed
- Your acute medical condition being documented in your medical record (along with justification as to why a seven-day supply of medication is needed as opposed to other treatment alternatives)
- Your doctor noting the “ACUTE PAIN EXCEPTION” on your prescription
Each of these requirements must be met in order for you to legally justify having greater than a three-day supply of opioid medications in your possession.
You can learn more about Florida’s prescription drug laws by continuing to explore our site.