Abuse of prescription painkillers called ‘full-scale crisis’

Cindy Woldstad suffered from an opioid addiction for more than seven years after her doctors began prescribing painkillers to manage the effects of chronic pain, arthritis and migraines.

She began inpatient treatment two years ago and has been completely opiate, drug, and alcohol-free for more than two months. But she has organ damage, is missing teeth because of the addiction and requires medication to manage the withdrawal symptoms, she told the House Health and Human Services Reform Committee Tuesday.

“I will be fighting this the rest of my life,” she said. “I feel human again. … I can wake up every morning now at 8 a.m. and live my day and do things I was not able to do three months ago because I was so high off of pain meds.”

Cindy Woldstad delivers emotional testimony about her battle with opioid addiction during discussion by the House Health and Human Services Reform Committee of bills sponsored by Rep. Dave Baker, right, dealing with opioid drugs. Photo by Andrew VonBank

Woldstad is one of many advocates who visited the Capitol Complex Tuesday for “Opioid Awareness Day on the Hill” to support legislation intended to address different aspects of opioid addiction and treatment.

After OxyContin was introduced in 1996, the market for opioid painkillers expanded from people with acute injuries and severe or terminal illnesses to include those with more common conditions like back and knee pain, said Dr. Chris Johnson, an emergency room physician.

The use and abuse of opiates has continued to grow since then, turning into a full-on public health crisis.

“There isn’t a single silver bullet that’s going to fix it all. If there was, we would have fixed it by now because a lot of families has been busted up and people who have been struggling with addition for a long time have been suffering,” Rep. Dave Baker (R-Willmar) said in a late-morning press conference.

The number of opioid overdose deaths in Minnesota has increased 430 percent since 2000 and 80 percent of heroin addicts can trace the beginning of their addiction to prescription pain medications, Lt. Governor Tina Smith said in a written statement issued after a conference calling for a coordinated response to the issue, including legislative action.

That began Tuesday with the presentation of two Baker-sponsored bills before the House Health and Human Services Reform Committee.

HF770 would change how Medical Assistance covers injectable drugs that treat substance abuse, making it more affordable for health care providers and more accessible to patients, Baker said. It was approved as amended and sent to the House Health and Human Services Finance Committee. Its companion, SF563, sponsored by Sen. Mark Koran (R-North Branch), awaits action by the Senate Health and Human Services Finance and Policy Committee.

HF1134 would prevent opiates from being dispensed more than 30 days after the prescription is issued. It was amended and sent to the House Floor. Its companion, SF752, sponsored by Sen. Chris Eaton (DFL-Brooklyn Center), also awaits action by the Senate Health and Human Services Finance and Policy Committee.

Two more bills sponsored by Baker to address opiate abuse are scheduled to be considered by the committee when it reconvenes at 6 p.m. Tuesday.