Five new Pennsylvania laws are now in place to address the state's opioid addiction and abuse problem, including limits on how much can be prescribed in an emergency room or issued to children .
Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf on Wednesday signed the legislative package, which includes a mandate that doctors check the state's prescription drug monitoring database when they prescribe opioids, not just for first-time patients.
Other measures would set up safe opioid prescribing training in medical schools and improve safe disposal of unwanted pharmaceuticals .
Officials blame about 3,500 deaths in Pennsylvania last year on addiction. The bills will go into effect in the coming months.
