What's happening
This bill requires chain pharmacies in New York with over 20 locations to operate drug disposal sites for unused controlled substances in each county where they have a pharmacy.
Why it matters
Expands access to safe drug disposal. By mandating that every county with a chain pharmacy have a disposal site, the bill makes it significantly easier for people across New York to safely get rid of unused controlled substances, reducing the risk of drugs being diverted for misuse.
Targets large pharmacy chains. The requirement only applies to pharmacy chains with more than 20 locations, focusing regulatory impact on companies with substantial resources and widespread presence, rather than small, independent pharmacies.
Addresses public health and environmental risks. Ensuring unused medications are disposed of properly helps prevent accidental poisonings, overdoses, and environmental contamination from improper disposal (e.g., flushing drugs down the toilet or throwing them in the trash).
Enables state oversight and consistency. By granting the health commissioner regulatory authority, the bill allows for development of uniform standards and enforcement mechanisms, ensuring that drug disposal options are broadly and reliably available statewide.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Require Pharmacies Collect Unused Drugs
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
18 Co-sponsors
3 Multi-sponsors
History
- Enacting clause stricken
- Referred to health
- Referred to health
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Require Pharmacy Drug Disposal
In Senate Committee · Health · Sponsor David Carlucci
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
7005
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
March 29, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. MAYER -- read once and referred to the Committee on Health
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to the safe disposal of unused controlled substances
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 3343-b of the public health law is amended by adding a new subdivision 4 to read as follows:
4. The commissioner is hereby authorized to promulgate rules and regulations necessary to require chain pharmacies to operate drug disposal sites for unused controlled substances in each county of the state, provided such chain pharmacy has a pharmacy located in a county. For the purposes of this subdivision, "chain pharmacy" means a pharmacy with more than twenty locations in the state.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02015-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.