Bill > H1739

This bill aims to regulate the use of benzodiazepines and non-benzodiazepine hypnotics, which are drugs primarily used to treat insomnia, anxiety, and other conditions. The key provisions include: defining "benzodiazepine" and "non-benzodiazepine hypnotic" in the law, requiring pharmacists to include a cautionary statement on the label when dispensing these medications, requiring the Department of Public Health to distribute educational pamphlets to pharmacies, prohibiting refills for prescriptions of less than 10 days, and requiring practitioners to obtain written informed consent from patients before prescribing these drugs. The bill also establishes a special commission to study protocols for safely discontinuing the use of these medications and minimizing withdrawal symptoms.