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#FINDINGHOPE Gov. Brad Little signs executive order aimed to combat opioid epidemic

Posted at 4:34 PM, Jun 13, 2019
and last updated 2019-06-13 19:14:10-04

BOISE — Governor Brad Little is making strides towards combatting the opioid epidemic across the state.

"You know the growing misuse of opioids has had a catastrophic effect, not only on Idaho but our whole nation," said Little.

The executive order aims to work with multiple agencies, like the Department of Health and Welfare, Board of Pharmacy, and Department of Correction.

"There are so many different facets to this issue that we've got to get our arms around," said Little.

The governor's office is also working with the Department of Education, to weave opioid and substance early education with mental health education.

"There's a lot of schools that don't have counselors, in a small school it's a little different because all the teachers know all the students, in the medium-sized schools its a bigger problem," said Little.

Another goal of little's executive order is limiting access to the prescriptions.

"Opioids prescriptions are the cheapest way to treat pain, just write a prescription, they don't have to have anyone around, they go to the pharmacy and get the prescription," said Little, "we need to have better alternatives."

The order also touches on therapy, treatment and referring first-time, non-violent drug offenders to local crisis centers instead of arrests.

Little says it's estimated to take 18 months to see all the different facets of this executive order play out, but it'll take much longer to combat the entire issue.

For more on 6 On Your Side's exclusive, sit-down interview with Governor Little, click here.