The bill H. 4165 aims to amend the South Carolina Code of Laws by adding Article 20 to Chapter 53, Title 44, titled "Non-Opioid Treatments for Pain Management." It defines key terms such as "healthcare practitioner" and "non-opioid treatment," and mandates the Department of Public Health to create and publish an educational pamphlet on non-opioid alternatives for pain management. This pamphlet will include information on available non-opioid treatments, their advantages and disadvantages, and will be developed in collaboration with the South Carolina Opioid Recovery Fund to utilize opioid abatement funding for educational and healthcare services.

Additionally, the bill requires healthcare practitioners to inform patients about non-opioid alternatives before prescribing opioid medications classified as Schedule II controlled substances. Practitioners must discuss the pros and cons of these alternatives, consider the patient's history of substance abuse, and document the alternatives discussed in the patient's record. The educational pamphlet is to be made available on the Department of Public Health's website by September 30, 2025, and the act will take effect upon the Governor's approval.