{"id":1896,"date":"2016-12-28T16:23:31","date_gmt":"2016-12-28T21:23:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.greatflorida.com\/blog\/?p=1896"},"modified":"2026-05-12T22:57:29","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T02:57:29","slug":"new-laws-take-effect-january-1-florida","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greatflorida.com\/blog\/2016\/new-laws-take-effect-january-1-florida\/","title":{"rendered":"New Laws Take Effect January 1 in Florida"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Beginning January 1, 2017, a couple of new laws will go into effect in Florida.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThese new laws are intended to diminish the abuse of medications,\u201d says <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/dustyns\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" =_blank>Dustyn Shroff<\/a>, Vice President of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greatflorida.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">GreatFlorida Insurance<\/a>, Florida\u2019s largest independent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greatflorida.com\/florida-healthcare-insurance\" target=\"_blank\">health insurance<\/a> agency.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Cough Medicines-SB 938<\/strong>, prohibits the sale of cough medicines containing the synthetically produced dextromethorphan\u00a0to people under the age of 18 and requires identification from those presumed younger than 25.<\/p>\n<p>Dextromethorphan is commonly found in cough medicines such as: Robitussin, Alka Seltzer Plus, Tylenol Cough &amp; Cold and Vick\u2019s NyQuil. According to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.webmd.com\/parenting\/teen-abuse-cough-medicine-9\/teens-and-dxm-drug-abuse\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">WebMD<\/a>, \u201cDextromethorphan or DMX, is in almost half of all over-the-counter drugs sold in the U.S.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Legislation was proposed after reports were confirmed of teenagers using cough medicine to get high. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.webmd.com\/parenting\/teen-abuse-cough-medicine-9\/teens-and-dxm-drug-abuse\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">WebMD<\/a> also reports, a 2008 study found 1 in 10 teens abuse cough medicine. When used properly, DMX products are safe but high doses can cause hallucinogenic trips and pose serious health risks.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/nchs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-1903 size-medium lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.greatflorida.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/cdc-us-overdose-deaths-2014_jr-2-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"cdc-us-overdose-deaths-2014_jr-2\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.greatflorida.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/cdc-us-overdose-deaths-2014_jr-2-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.greatflorida.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/cdc-us-overdose-deaths-2014_jr-2-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.greatflorida.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/cdc-us-overdose-deaths-2014_jr-2-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.greatflorida.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/cdc-us-overdose-deaths-2014_jr-2-696x522.jpg 696w, https:\/\/www.greatflorida.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/cdc-us-overdose-deaths-2014_jr-2-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.greatflorida.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/cdc-us-overdose-deaths-2014_jr-2.jpg 1000w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/225;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.greatflorida.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/cdc-us-overdose-deaths-2014_jr-2-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.greatflorida.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/cdc-us-overdose-deaths-2014_jr-2-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.greatflorida.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/cdc-us-overdose-deaths-2014_jr-2-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.greatflorida.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/cdc-us-overdose-deaths-2014_jr-2-696x522.jpg 696w, https:\/\/www.greatflorida.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/cdc-us-overdose-deaths-2014_jr-2-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.greatflorida.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/cdc-us-overdose-deaths-2014_jr-2.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Opioid Insurance Coverage-SB 422,<\/strong> prohibits insurance policies that cover opioid medications with exceptions, from requiring prior authorization for abuse-deterrent versions of the medications.<\/p>\n<p>Supporters of the measure argued the change is intended, in part, to make it easier for people to access medication less likely to cause addiction. \u201cFlorida lawmakers have provided a solution to address the prescription drug abuse problem in Florida, says Buck with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greatflorida.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">GreatFlorida Insurance<\/a>, Florida\u2019s leading independent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greatflorida.com\/florida-healthcare-insurance\" target=\"_blank\">health insurance<\/a> agency.<\/p>\n<p>Website, <a href=\"http:\/\/drugabuse.com\/opiate-alternatives-doctors-got-a-brand-new-bag\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Drugabuse.com<\/a> shares, approximately 23.5 million Americans struggle with chronic pain. Regrettably, the 104 percent increase in painkiller prescriptions between 2000 and 2010 has not resulted in improvement in pain control or disability outcomes.<\/p>\n<p>A destructive cycle can occur when patients become dependent on opiate pain killers. Millions of people are addicted. Once these opiates become difficult to get or too expensive, many turn to heroin.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.greatflorida.com\/florida-healthcare-insurance\" target=\"_blank\">GreatFlorida Insurance<\/a> provides quality <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greatflorida.com\/florida-healthcare-insurance\" target=\"_blank\">health insurance<\/a> policies for all levels of coverage. Talk with an agent today.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.greatflorida.com\/florida-healthcare-insurance\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-523 size-full lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.greatflorida.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/FloridaHealthInsuranceFB.jpg\" alt=\"Florida-Health-Insurance\" width=\"580\" height=\"299\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.greatflorida.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/FloridaHealthInsuranceFB.jpg 580w, https:\/\/www.greatflorida.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/FloridaHealthInsuranceFB-300x155.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.greatflorida.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/FloridaHealthInsuranceFB-150x77.jpg 150w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 580px) 100vw, 580px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 580px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 580\/299;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.greatflorida.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/FloridaHealthInsuranceFB.jpg 580w, https:\/\/www.greatflorida.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/FloridaHealthInsuranceFB-300x155.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.greatflorida.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/FloridaHealthInsuranceFB-150x77.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 580px) 100vw, 580px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Beginning January 1, 2017, a couple of new laws will go into effect in Florida. \u201cThese new laws are intended to diminish the abuse of medications,\u201d says Dustyn Shroff, Vice President of GreatFlorida Insurance, Florida\u2019s largest independent health insurance agency. Cough Medicines-SB 938, prohibits the sale of cough medicines containing the synthetically produced dextromethorphan\u00a0to people [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1219,"featured_media":1902,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-1896","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-healthcare-insurance"},"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greatflorida.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1896","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greatflorida.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greatflorida.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greatflorida.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1219"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greatflorida.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1896"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.greatflorida.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1896\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14287,"href":"https:\/\/www.greatflorida.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1896\/revisions\/14287"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greatflorida.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1902"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greatflorida.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1896"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greatflorida.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1896"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greatflorida.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1896"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}