Latest news with #KyleMullica
Axios
19-05-2025
- Health
- Axios
Colorado looks at guardrails for kratom
Kratom is becoming the new tobacco. State of play: Colorado is poised to put constraints on the sale of the intoxicating herbal supplement that are similar to those in place for tobacco products, as concerns mount about fatalities and addiction. A bill sent to the governor's desk would require kratom packaging to remain behind the counter and prohibit sales to those under age 21. A warning label would need to include dosage and drug interaction concerns, as well as warnings for pregnant women. Other provisions include limiting synthetics and the high-potency component 7-OH to 2%. Yes, but: The rules are the first of their kind for kratom in Colorado, but stop far short of what lawmakers and Gov. Jared Polis' administration initially proposed. The original legislation created a regulatory system more like cannabis, with companies that process kratom paying an estimated $300 in fees to cover its costs. It also required state budget dollars to get it started. Between the lines: The governor and Democratic leadership expressed concern about the startup costs for the new regulations, essentially stalling its progress in the legislative session. But in the last week, a Republican lawmaker made a rare "super motion" to send the bill directly to the House without a committee hearing. To win passage, lawmakers then eliminated the more restrictive regulations from the bill. What they're saying:"I still think this is a step in the right direction to: One, get a harmful product out of the market, and two, take some steps toward what I think is the ultimate solution which is licensure," Senate bill sponsor Kyle Mullica (D-Northglenn) told us in an interview. What we're watching: Now the attention is on Polis.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Healthcare workers are 5 times more likely to be injured at work. Legislators want that to change.
DENVER (KDVR) — Healthcare workers are no strangers to violence, but some state legislators are trying to find ways to prevent that violence from increasing. The Colorado Hospital Association reports that on average a nurse is assaulted in the state every 30 minutes and that healthcare workers as a whole are five times more likely than other professions to get hurt due to violence on the job. State legislators have introduced a new bill to address these trends. Colorado Restaurant Association supports tip offset bill as Denver restaurants struggle The bill, called Health-Care Workplace Violence Incentive Payments, would create financial incentives and rewards for hospitals that create plans to reduce violence against their staff. The incentives would be provided through the state department to develop a stakeholder group with recommended metrics, determine if there are funds available to assist in lowering the number of workplace violence incidents and develop legislative recommendations by Feb. 1, 2026. The bill would exempt hospitals with under 100 beds from the reporting requirements. On Tuesday, dozens of nurses and healthcare workers gathered at the Colorado Capitol with Sen. Kyle Mullica, who is a former ER nurse. He's also a primary sponsor of the bill, and called violence against healthcare workers a public health crisis. 'Barriers to reporting, such as fear of retaliation, lack of awareness and a culture that too often accepts violence as part of the job have allowed this problem to remain under-reported and unaddressed for far too long,' said Mullica, a Democrat representing Adams County. The former nurse said the bill will focus on transparency and accountability, to ensure hospitals report progress or lack thereof. The bill has the support of the Colorado Hospital Association and Colorado Nurses Association. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
