Missouri House, Senate committees again consider Narcotics Control Act

Missouri state lawmakers will again consider legislation that would impliment a statewide prescription drug monitoring program.

The Show-Me state remains the only one without such a system in place.

A senate version of the Narcotics Control Act was heard in the Senate committee on Seniors, Families and Children Wednesday morning.

The House version sponsored by Rep. Holly Rehder, R-Sikeston, is scheduled for a hearing by the Insurance Committee at 6 p.m. Wednesday.

A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that the percentage of patients prescribed an opioid, and rates of opioid-related deaths, were higher in rural areas than in urban settings.

Below is a map that highlights (in green) the cities and counties that have, in some form, implimented the St. Louis County PDMP:

Most of the areas on the above map that are not highlighted (tan) are majority rural counties.

The highlighted portions of the above map cover about 87 percent of the Missouri population.

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