1 State of Arkansas As Engrossed: H1/21/21 S2/1/21
2 93rd General Assembly
3 Regular Session, 2021 HCR 1002
4
5 By: Representative Boyd
6 By: Senator Gilmore
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8 HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
9 TO ENCOURAGE CONTINUED COLLABORATION AMONG HEALTHCARE
10 PROVIDERS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, EDUCATORS, PUBLIC
11 OFFICIALS, AND THE ARKANSAS COMMUNITY IN BATTLING THE
12 ABUSE OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS IN ARKANSAS.
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15 Subtitle
16 TO ENCOURAGE CONTINUED COLLABORATION
17 AMONG HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, LAW
18 ENFORCEMENT, EDUCATORS, PUBLIC OFFICIALS,
19 AND THE ARKANSAS COMMUNITY IN BATTLING
20 THE ABUSE OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS IN
21 ARKANSAS.
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24 WHEREAS, in 2018, Arkansas had the thirty-fourth-highest drug-related
25 fatalities rate in the United States with a drug overdose death rate of
26 fifteen and seven-tenths (15.7) per one hundred thousand (100,000) people;
27 and
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29 WHEREAS, in 2018, four hundred forty-four (444) deaths occurred in
30 Arkansas as a result of all types of drug overdoses; and
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32 WHEREAS, individuals with disabilities are substantially more likely to
33 suffer from substance abuse disorders at two to four (2-4) times the rate of
34 the general population and are also less likely to receive treatment for
35 their substance abuse; and
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 As Engrossed: H1/21/21 S2/1/21 HCR1002
1 WHEREAS, the rate of drug overdose deaths in Arkansas, a majority of
2 which are due to the misuse of prescription drugs, has more than tripled
3 since 1999, when the age-adjusted rate was six and one-tenth (6.1) per one
4 hundred thousand (100,000) people, compared to twenty-one and seven-tenths
5 (21.7) per one hundred thousand (100,000) people in 2017; and
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7 WHEREAS, Arkansas ranked third in the nation in nonmedical use of
8 prescription pain relievers in the previous year among people twelve (12)
9 years of age or older in 2012-2014; and
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11 WHEREAS, in 2019, seventeen and nine-tenths percent (17.9%) of surveyed
12 Arkansas high school students reported taking prescription drugs either
13 without a doctor's prescription or differently than as prescribed; and
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15 WHEREAS, in 2019, Arkansas ranked second among the states for the
16 quantity of opioids prescribed, with eighty and nine-tenths (80.9) opioid
17 prescriptions for every one hundred (100) persons; and
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19 WHEREAS, in 2019, the national average for the amount of opioids
20 prescribed was forty-six and seven-tenths (46.7) opioid prescriptions for
21 every one hundred (100) persons; and
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23 WHEREAS, the misuse of prescription drugs can have dire consequences,
24 and the rapid rise in prescription drug abuse in the state requires a full-
25 scale response from healthcare providers, law enforcement, educators, public
26 officials, and the Arkansas community; and
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28 WHEREAS, the people of Arkansas have a duty to educate our communities,
29 protect our drugs at home, properly dispose of unwanted or unneeded drugs,
30 promote responsible prescribing and dispensing of prescription drugs,
31 encourage proper safeguarding of prescription drug inventories, and help
32 those struggling to overcome prescription drug addictions,
33
34 NOW THEREFORE,
35 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL
36 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN:
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 As Engrossed: H1/21/21 S2/1/21 HCR1002
1
2 THAT the House of Representatives of the Ninety-Third General Assembly,
3 the Senate concurring, encourage continued collaboration among healthcare
4 providers, law enforcement, educators, public officials, and the Arkansas
5 community in battling the abuse of prescription drugs in Arkansas.
6
7 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT, upon its adoption, a copy of this
8 resolution be presented by the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives
9 to:
10 (1) The Executive Director of the Mental Health Council
11 of Arkansas, Inc.;
12 (2) The Executive Director of Recovery Centers of Arkansas,
13 Inc.;
14 (3) The Medical Director of the Arkansas Medical Foundation;
15 (4) The Program Director for the Substance Abuse Treatment
16 Clinic at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences;
17 (5) The Director of Pain Management at CHI-St. Vincent Health
18 System;
19 (6) The Chair of the Arkansas State Medical Board Pain
20 Management Review Committee;
21 (7) The Arkansas Region 1 Prevention Service Representative;
22 (8) The Arkansas Region 8 Prevention Service Representative;
23 (9) The Arkansas Drug Director;
24 (10) The Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care, Inc.;
25 (11) The Arkansas Center for Health Improvement;
26 (12) The Arkansas Hospital Association, Inc.;
27 (13) The Attorney General;
28 (14) The Arkansas Association of Chiefs of Police;
29 (15) The Arkansas Sheriffs' Association;
30 (16) The Arkansas State Medical Board;
31 (17) The Arkansas State Board of Pharmacy;
32 (18) The Arkansas State Board of Dental Examiners;
33 (19) The Arkansas State Board of Nursing;
34 (20) The State Board of Optometry;
35 (21) The Department of Health;
36 (22) The Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Advisory
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 As Engrossed: H1/21/21 S2/1/21 HCR1002
1 Committee;
2 (23) The Arkansas Board of Podiatric Medicine;
3 (24) The Office of Medicaid Inspector General;
4 (25) The Speakup About Drugs organization; and
5 (26) The Criminal Justice Institute of the University of
6 Arkansas.
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