Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives
in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same,
as follows:
SECTION 1.
There shall be a special commission to study the impact
and effects on youth of the abuse of OxyContin and other prescription and
illicit drugs including, but not limited to, Duragesic, Klonopin, Methadone,
Morphine, Vicodin, as well as their generic equivalents, and cocaine, heroin,
GHB, and MDMA. The commission shall consist of 3 members appointed by the
speaker of the house, including the house chair of the joint committee on
health care, 3 members appointed by the senate president, including the senate
chair of the joint committee on health care, the commissioner of mental health,
the commissioner of public health drug control program and 3 persons to be
appointed by the governor, all of whom shall be members of the medical and
substance abuse treatment community with specialty experience in drug
regulation, prescription, treatment and abuse. The commission shall study the
prescription, dispensing, treatment and education with respect to those drugs
and shall submit a report, including legislative recommendations, if any, to
the clerk of the house of representatives who shall forward the same to the
joint committee on health care and the house and senate committee on ways and
means on or before April 1, 2005.
SECTION 2.
This act shall take effect as of July 1, 2004.
Approved July 19, 2004.