LANSING, Mich., June 26, 2020 — State Rep. Nate Shannon (D-Sterling Heights) introduced House Bill 5926 recently that would require helpline numbers for substance abuse, suicide prevention, Alcoholics Anonymous and the poison control center to be printed on prescription receipts.
“Prescription drugs are in essentially every household in this country, and over the last few decades, have been a major cause of overdose and overdose deaths,” said Shannon. “While we are working to curb this issue through legislation that limits opioid use, it’s important that we also give communities and households the tools they need to save lives at home. These helplines are critical for those in need to have at a moment’s notice, and making them available in as many highly visible places as possible can help make that possible.”
Helpline numbers would include:
● The national helpline from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration of the United States Department of Health and Human Services
● A suicide prevention hotline
● Alcoholics Anonymous
● The Poison Helpline from the American Association of Poison Control Centers
The Michigan Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention has expressed their support for this bill.
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