What's happening
This bill requires chain pharmacies with over 20 locations in New York to operate drug disposal sites for unused controlled substances in each county where they have a location.
Why it matters
Increases consumer access to safe drug disposal. By requiring large pharmacy chains to operate disposal sites in every county where they’re present, the bill makes it much easier for people across the state to safely dispose of unused controlled substances, reducing the risk of misuse and accidental poisonings.
Directly targets opioid and substance abuse issues. Easy disposal of unused medications can help prevent these drugs from being diverted for illegal use, supporting broader public health efforts to address the opioid crisis and substance abuse in New York.
Places accountability on large corporations. The mandate specifically applies to chain pharmacies with over 20 locations, ensuring that well-resourced companies shoulder responsibility for community health, rather than smaller, independent pharmacies with fewer resources.
Potentially reduces environmental contamination. By promoting proper disposal instead of flushing or trashing medications, the bill could help prevent pharmaceutical contamination of water supplies and landfills, benefiting public health and the environment.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Require Pharmacy Drug Disposal
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to health
- Referred to health
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
377
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE (Prefiled)
January 4, 2017
Introduced by Sen. CARLUCCI -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed 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.
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
2015-16: S6255A - Health
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.