Opioid overdose prevention bill introduced in New York

Legislation Will Reduce Number One Cause of Accidental Death in New York State by Increasing Access to Antidote, Naloxone

Bill Builds on Historic 911 Good Samaritan Law that Passed Nearly Unanimously in Both Houses

This week Senator Kemp Hannon (R-Nassau) and Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz (D-Bronx) introduced an opioid overdose prevention bill (S.6744/A.8637), legislation that would help prevent accidental opioid overdoses and save the lives of thousands of New Yorkers by expanding access to the opioid antidote naloxone. More than 2,000 New Yorkers die each year from opioid overdose, with heroin and prescription pain medications involved in most of those deaths. Naloxone, if administered during an overdose, effectively and safely reverses the overdose and saves lives. In fact, a 2010 CDC report credits overdose education and naloxone distribution programs with more than 10,000 documented overdose reversals since 1996.

Click here to read the full article.

Keep up-to-date with drug policy developments by subscribing to the IDPC Monthly Alert.