The Opioid Epidemic and the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice

America is suffering from an epidemic of opioid misuse that has been attributed to the narcotic prescribing practices of physicians. This article focuses on the State of Minnesota and the role that its Board of Medical Practice (BMP) played in this crisis. It presents a review of guidelines issued by the BMP over the last 30 years, showing that it followed national trends in emphasizing increased prescribing of narcotics for pain up until last year, when a much more cautious and nuanced approach to opioid prescribing was advised.