House Speaker Creates Committee to Study Painkiller Abuse

ABC Columbia/File

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) – South Carolina’s House leader has created a legislative committee to study how the state can fight the rising problem of abuse of painkillers.

Speaker Jay Lucas said in a news release Monday he is asking the committee to meet for the rest of the year to figure out what kind of laws South Carolina can pass to stop the abuse and trafficking of opioids.

Lucas appointed Rep. Eric Bedingfield to lead the new committee. The Republican from Greenville County lost his oldest son a year ago to an opioid overdose after fighting addiction for six years.

Bedingfield thanked Lucas for the appointment, saying maybe his son can save lives even after his death.