Opioid prescription rates fell by nearly a third on Long Island between 2011 and 2017. CDC and New York state data show the decline, and experts say it will have a long-term impact.
CDC data show opioid prescription rates have been declining nationwide in recent years, but New York has the lowest prescribing rate in the nation after Washington, D.C., and Hawaii.
In 2016 the CDC released new guidelines for prescribing opioids for chronic pain, and New York passed legislation to track prescriptions electronically to deter patients from “doctor shopping” for opioids.
Health experts say a lower prescription rate could contribute to a drop in opioid overdoses in the long term.
