A bipartisan Senate bill unveiled Thursday would impose strict limits on some opioid prescriptions, a small tweak to federal law that is part of an ongoing effort in Congress to curb overuse of the drugs.

The legislation, introduced by Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), would bar doctors from supplying more than a week’s supply of an opioid drug to patients suffering from acute pain. Refills for those patients would also be prohibited, but prescriptions to treat chronic illnesses and end-of-life care would not be subject to the rules. Several states, including New York and Arizona, have already enacted similar policies.

“We have a long way to go to end the scourge of drugs across our communities, but this legislation is an important step forward in preventing people from getting hooked on these deadly drugs,” McCain said in a statement.

The overuse of addictive prescription opioids has been an area of top concern for lawmakers in both parties. In the run-up to the 2016 election, Congress worked in rare, bipartisan fashion to pass legislation combating the nation’s opioid addiction epidemic by bolstering treatment and recovery efforts.

Most recently, the issue also appears to be a focus for Scott Gottlieb, the nominee to head the Food and Drug Administration, who said the opioid crisis would “require dramatic action.”

The senators are still working on a strategy to get the bill signed into law, a Gillibrand spokesman said in an email. Several legislative vehicles, including the Food and Drug Administration user fee reauthorization and government funding legislation, are possible options.

“Fourteen billion opioid pills are now dispensed annually in the United States  https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-sends-letter-to-dea-calling-for-stricter-limits-of-opioid-pills-

It was recently stated that we have 2.1 million serious opiate addicts. The question has to be asked … If the opiates are so HIGHLY ADDICTED and there are 14 billion opiate doses dispensed annually … why is there not more people abusing/addicted to opiates ?

If you notice that this proposed bill EXEMPTS Suboxone and the like from the bill/law… so it appears that these bureaucrats have been sold a “bill of goods” that it is better for a person to be DEPENDENT on a C-III than be DEPENDENT on a C-II

Here is the official definition of C-II & C-III… notice the similarities

Schedule II substances are those that have the following findings:

1. The drug or other substances have a high potential for abuse
2. The drug or other substances have currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States, or currently accepted medical use with severe restrictions
3. Abuse of the drug or other substances may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence.