Minnesota & New Jersey Adopts Voluntary Non-Opioid Directive, Becoming the 11th & 12th States to Implement Policy
Haleon Government Affairs has successfully championed the passage of legislation for the Voluntary Non-Opioid Directive in Minnesota & New Jersey—marking a significant milestone as the 11th & 12th states to adopt this important policy.
As part of a broader effort to address the opioid epidemic, the Non-Opioid Directive empowers patients to take control of their pain management. This legally recognized form allows individuals to formally instruct healthcare providers not to administer or prescribe opioids unless medically necessary. The directive must be documented in the patient’s health record and can be revoked at any time by the patient or their healthcare agent.
By empowering patients to make informed choices about their care, the directive supports safer, more personalized treatment options—and helps reduce unnecessary exposure to opioids.
Minnesota & New Jersey join a growing list of states that have adopted this policy, including Alaska, Connecticut, Florida, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and West Virginia.
Non-opioid Directives
To combat the opioid epidemic, many states have provided their residents with information about voluntary nonopioid directives. Nonopioid directives are forms that allow patients to notify healthcare professionals that they do not wish to be treated with opioid medications. Click the link below to view, download, and sign the nonopioid directive.
Related resources
Nonopioid Pain Management Options
Learn about safer, non-opioid alternatives for treating acute pain.
Nonopioid pain management: Tools and Resources
Tools and resources, which are designed to offer comprehensive support and education to help you manage your patients’ pain effectively and safely.
