Associated Press and Staff Report
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The Ohio House has approved a bill regulating medicine used to treat painkiller addicts.
The legislation requires a distribution license for drugs containing buprenorphine and limits how much of the drug can be prescribed at a time. Buprenorphine, often known by its brand name Suboxone, treats addicts’ withdrawal symptoms and blocks brain receptors to counter the effect of craving for narcotics like heroin or oxycodone.
Suboxone is one of the drugs used in the Medically Assisted Treatment program administered through the Drug Court in Crawford County.
The bill is meant to keep the drug from being abused itself. The House on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved the measure, which now goes to the Senate.