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Who cares
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Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Print number 6255a
- Amend and recommit to health
- Referred to health
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to the safe disposal of unused controlled substances
Purpose
To provide for the designation of pharmacies as disposal sites for controlled substances to further aid in the fight against drug abuse.
Summary of provisions
Section 1. Adds a new subdivision 4 of section 3343-b of the public health law, as amended by chapter 379 of the laws of 2015 to authorize the commissioner to promulgate rules and regulations necessary to require chain pharmacies to operate drug disposal sites based on the geographical location and number of locations in each county of the state.
Justification
Currently, the Heroin and Opioid epidemic is scourging our communities and destroying lives across the United States. New York State has been a leader in enacting meaningful reforms and initiatives to combat this horrible epidemic.
A leading contributor to this epidemic is the countless unused prescription pills and controlled substance in easy reach for individuals to get their hands on them. People who develop dependencies on prescription pills especially painkiller's often move on to heroin, which is considerably cheaper and provides a stronger high.
In 2014 the Drug Enforcement Administration ("DEA") announced that pharmacies could accept and destroy customers' unwanted prescription drugs. A recent New York Times article states that the response has been insignificant, with only 1 percent of American pharmacies having set up disposal programs, with none of those belonging to the two largest chains, CVS and Walgreens.
This legislation would ensure that pharmacies are designated as disposal sites in each county of the state to allow for easy and accessible disposal of controlled substances.
Legislative history
New bill.
Fiscal implications
None to the state.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.