Guam § 16102 - Legislative Findings and Intent.

§ 16102. Legislative Findings and Intent.

I Liheslaturan Guåhan finds that the United States is in the

midst of the worst opioid epidemic in history. According to the

United States Centers for Disease Control, the number of Opioid

drug overdose deaths increased by nearly thirty percent (30%)

from 2019 to 2020 and has quintupled since 1999. Nearly seventy-

five percent (75%) of the 91,799 drug overdose deaths in 2020

involved an opioid. Experts believe that this staggering number of

overdose deaths is based on several factors, including an increase

in illicitly manufactured fentanyl and other synthetic opioids.

Opioid antagonists, such as naloxone, can be used during

emergencies to reverse opioid overdoses and are effective at

preventing fatal drug overdoses.

I Liheslatura Guåhan further finds that the United States

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that despite

an increase in prescriptions for emergency opioid antagonists, not

enough of the medication is getting into the hands of those who

need it most while expanding access to emergency opioid

antagonists and encouraging citizens of Guam to obtain

emergency opioid antagonists are in Guam's best interests.

I Liheslaturan Guåhan intends to potentially save the lives of

individuals who experience an opioid overdose by expanding

access to, and availability of, emergency opioid antagonists within

the state, address the critical need to provide uniformity in the

ability of citizens of Guam to access emergency opioid

antagonists, encourage citizens to obtain emergency opioid

antagonists, grant immunity to individuals administering opioid

antagonists, establish a pilot program for bystander access, and

promote initiatives that educate citizens on the life-saving

potential of emergency opioid antagonists by enacting the Guam

Opioid Overdose Prevention Act of 2023.