Ohio House passes bill to make prescription painkiller abuse part of schools' health curricula
3/16/2014COLUMBUS — An Ohio bill would require schools to include information in their health curricula about preventing abuse of prescription drugs.
State law already mandates instruction about nutrition, alcohol abuse and personal safety among other topics.
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Under the proposal passed by the House on Wednesday, schools would be required to update their health curricula with information about the addictive properties of prescription opioids and their links to heroin.
The legislation is among several measures aimed at reducing the state’s record-high number of fatal overdoses from heroin and painkillers — which is now the leading cause of accidental death in Ohio, surpassing car crashes.
The Governor’s Cabinet Opiate Action Team would submit recommendations for school instruction to the state’s Department of Education by July 1.
The bill goes to the Senate for consideration.