New state laws allows narcotics collection program, slew of other laws to combat growing heroin problem in state.

By Brandi Makuski

Stevens Point Police Chief Kevin Ruder says since 2007, over 3 tons of prescription medication has been collected in the drop-off bin located in the department’s lobby, but law enforcement had no way of collecting narcotics to safe disposal.

That’s about to change.

Governor Scott Walker was in Stevens Point Monday to sign a bill that is part of a package of laws designed to combat heroin abuse throughout the state. Assembly Bill 448, which became a new state law Monday, regulates drug disposal programs throughout Wisconsin and makes more drug repositories more accessible.

Walker signed the bill around 11 AM at the Stevens Point Police Department, surrounded by State Senator Julie Lassa, Assemblywoman Amy Sue Vruwink, area police officers and sheriff’s deputies as well as city leaders and members of the local drug task force.

Ruder said the prescription medication collected in the bin might otherwise have wound up contaminating local water resources, or worse yet- the drugs could have wound up in the hands of a substance abuser.

“Studies indicate prescription medications used to treat pain can lead to addictions which can lead to a cheap alternative, and that’s heroin,” Ruder said. “Having the ability to take unused medication from medicine cabinets is removing a cog in a killing machine, and that’s heroin.”

The new law is part of the H.O.P.E. (Heroin Opiate Prevention and Education) legislation- a package of laws implementing stiffer identification requirements for narcotics prescriptions, expanded treatment options for addicts in underserved areas and a “Good Samaritan” law offering limited immunity for those who call for help for an individual overdosing on narcotics.

Gov. Walker called local law enforcement “a leader” in collecting unused prescription drugs throughout the state, and said the new legislation allowing narcotics collection could also prove to be just as effective.

The hands of Sgt. Dan Wheeler of SPPD are seen digging through a large plastic tote filled with prescription drugs the department has collected from its drop off bin.

“This is the sort of thing you send people to Madison to do- to identify a problem and act on it,” Walker said Monday. “You can collect prescription drugs, but the challenge up to now has been narcotics. This (new law) makes is clear that local programs like this will be able to collect narcotics and do so in a safe way.”

Walker added the heroin problem has spiked over recent years and it’s a problem which needs awareness.

“No matter how great a person is, no matter how good in school, once that addiction kicks in, it’s next to impossible- without support- to break that addiction,” Walker said. “I didn’t want to just sign this into law in the capital, but to go to different places throughout the state and draw attention to this issue.”

Walker also appeared in Marinette, Milwaukee and Eau Claire to sign other pieces of the legislation Monday.

According to the Wisconsin Dept. of Justice, heroin arrests have jumped by 79 percent between 2010 – 2012, and heroin overdose deaths rose 50 percent to 199 fatalities in 2012. The Stevens Point Police Department also reported investigating the city’s first known heroin overdose that same year.

Mayor Andrew Halverson lauded the efforts of the police department and sheriff’s office, saying the cooperative relationship between local law enforcement agencies with anti-drug task forces was a credit to making the streets safer and drugs harder to come by. He called the H.O.P.E. package “bi-partisan common sense” which created a safer Wisconsin for families.

But the historic sense of the moment wasn’t lost on Halverson.

“To watch a bill become a law, for those of us who celebrate and appreciate political science, is a unique opportunity, and one we’re very proud to have hosted,” he said.

The H.O.P.E. legislation includes the following:

Assembly Bill 447 – provides limited immunity to people who call for help for someone who is suffering from an overdose.  Authored by Representative John Nygren (Marinette) and Senator Sheila Harsdorf (River Falls).  Assembly Bill 447 passed the Assembly 96-0 and the Senate on a voice vote; it is Act 194. 

Assembly Bill 701 – creates new innovative option for individuals facing heroin and opioid addiction.  Offers the option of a long-term opioid antagonist drug (Vivitrol), which blocks the effects of opioids for 30 days, and creates regional comprehensive opioid treatment programs in rural and underserved areas of the state.  Authored by Representative John Nygren (Marinette) and Senator Alberta Darling (River Hills).  Assembly Bill 701 passed the Assembly 95-0 and unanimously passed the Senate; it is Act 195.

Assembly Bill 702 – addresses drug offender recidivism; allows short-term sanctions for people who violate conditions of extended supervision, parole, probation, or deferred prosecution agreement.  Authored by Representative John Nygren (Marinette) and Senator Sheila Harsdorf (River Falls).  Assembly Bill 702 passed both the Assembly and the Senate on a voice vote; it is Act 196.

Assembly Bill 668 – nearly doubles funding for treatment and diversion (TAD) programs offering alternatives to prosecution or incarceration for substance abuse, allowing 10-15 new programs to receive funding.  Authored by Representative John Nygren (Marinette) and Senator Alberta Darling (River Hills).  Assembly Bill 668 passed the Assembly 95-0 and the Senate 32-0; it is Act 197.

Assembly Bill 448 – regulates drug disposal programs throughout Wisconsin and makes more drug repositories more accessible.  Authored by Representative John Nygren (Marinette) and Senator Sheila Harsdorf (River Falls).  Assembly Bill 448 passed the Assembly 96-0 and was concurred by the Senate on a voice vote; it is Act 198.

Assembly Bill 445 – requires individuals to show identification when picking up Schedule II or III narcotic/opiate prescriptions.  Authored by Representative John Nygren (Marinette) and Senator Sheila Harsdorf (River Falls).  Assembly Bill 445 passed the Assembly 96-0 and was concurred by the Senate on a voice vote; it is Act 199.

Assembly Bill 446 – requires all EMTs to carry the drug naloxone (also known by the brand names Narcan, Nalone, Evzio, and Narcanti), which counteracts opiate overdoses, and administer it in cases of overdose.  Under AB 446, more people will be allowed to carry naloxone, including first responders, law enforcers, and firefighters.  Authored by Representative John Nygren (Marinette) and Senator Sheila Harsdorf (River Falls).  Assembly Bill 446 passed the Assembly 96-0 and passed the Senate on a voice vote; it is Act 200.