The Illinois General Assembly has passed a bill requiring pharmacy firms to provide numerical locking device for bottles containing prescribed painkillers, to avoid abuse by children.
The bill will be tested in a one-year pilot from January 1, 2016, after it is approved by the governor.
Under the provisions of the bill, new or refilled prescription for a Schedule II controlled substance containing hydrocodone needs to be sold in non-reusable medicine locking closure package.
Manufacturers of medicine locking closure package are required to provide online assistance for patient use.
The pilot project, to be funded by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation up to $150,000, calls for voluntary participation of pharmacies.
Heavy painkillers such as hydrocodone could often be spotted among other medicines in the households for they are prescribed by physicians for curing chronic pains. However, such painkillers can claim the life of a minor or become an addictive substance for a teenager.
According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, deaths out of drug overdose have risen three-fold since 1990 in the US. Of them, prescription painkillers account of three out of four overdoses.
Illinois State Representative Michael Zalewski said: "When it comes to addiction and substance abuse issues, we've seen time and time again the need for an aggressive approach to deter abusers."
Sacramento State University graduate Joseph Simpson, has designed a Safer Lock involving personal personal 4-digit combination, suitable for preventing those under seven from getting access while making it convenient for the elderly.
Sacramento State University graduate and start-up Safer Lock founder Joseph Simpson said: "A locking cap significantly reduces any incident of accidental ingestion and provides peace of mind for families."
Safer Lock is a personal four-digit combination locking prescription bottle that prevents unauthorized access by children under the age of seven.
