DEA Proposes Changes That Could Sharply Reduce Annual Production of Opioids

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) this week proposed changing rules that govern the amount of prescription opioids that drug manufacturers can produce each year. The changes could sharply reduce the annual production of opioids, Reuters reports.

Under the rules, if DEA believes a company’s opioids are being diverted for misuse, the agency will reduce the amount of opioids the company can make that year, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said.

“These smarter limits will encourage vigilance on the part of opioid manufacturers, help DEA respond to the changing drug threat environment, and protect the American people from potentially addictive drugs while ensuring that the country has enough opioids for genuine medical, scientific, research and industrial needs,” the Department of Justice said in a news release.