An Act relative to non-opioid alternatives in pain treatment

This bill requires the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to create and publish an educational guide on non-opioid options for pain management. It mandates that healthcare providers discuss these alternatives with patients before prescribing Schedule II opioids, unless the patient is in a critical care unit, emergency department, or receiving hospice care. The law also requires doctors to provide the printed guide, explain the pros and cons of non-drug therapies, and document these discussions in patient records.