What's happening
This bill adds three fentanyl analogs to New York's list of schedule I controlled substances.
Why it matters
Expands legal tools for law enforcement and prosecutors. By explicitly listing these three fentanyl analogs as Schedule I substances, the bill enables authorities to pursue criminal charges for possession, sale, and manufacturing of these specific chemicals, closing loopholes that previously allowed traffickers to skirt the law by using substances not yet scheduled.
Addresses emerging public health threats. Fentanyl analogs are highly potent synthetic opioids linked to a sharp rise in overdose deaths. Scheduling these specific analogs recognizes their danger and supports efforts to reduce overdose fatalities by restricting their availability.
Signals adaptability to new synthetic drugs. Including these analogs demonstrates a willingness by state lawmakers to keep drug laws current as illicit chemists alter compounds to evade existing regulations, potentially deterring the creation or distribution of new, barely-modified fentanyl derivatives.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Ban New Synthetic Opiates
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 3
History
- Referred to health
- Print number 934a
- Amend and recommit 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.
List New Illegal Opiates
In Assembly Committee · Health · Sponsor Jeffrey Dinowitz
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
934--A
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 5, 2017
Introduced by Sens. CROCI, AKSHAR, GALLIVAN, HANNON -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Health -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to designating certain substances as schedule I opiates
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision (b) of schedule I of section 3306 of the public health law is amended by adding three new paragraphs 56, 57, and 58 to read as follows:
(56) N-(1-phenethylpiperidin-4-yl)-N-phenylacetamide (Acetyl Fentanyl).
(57) N-(1-phenethylpiperidin-4-yl)-N-phenylbutyramide (Butyryl Fentanyl).
(58) N-{1-{2-hydroxy-2-(thiophen-2-yl)ethyl}piperidin-4-yl}-N-phenylpropionamide(Beta-Hyolroxythiofentanyl).
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01745-02-7
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 designating certain substances as schedule I opiates
Purpose
This bill adds new derivatives of fentanyl to the controlled substance schedule.
Summary of specific provisions
Section one of the bill adds three new fentanyl derivatives to Schedule I, bringing New York's schedule in line with the temporary Federal Schedule.
Section two is the effective date.
Justification
Fentanyl is a strong pain medication, that when administered in a medical setting, is often combined with anesthesia to prevent surgery related pain. When improperly used, the effects of fentanyl can lead to serious or life threatening respiratory problems.
It has been reported that fentanyl has a similar euphoric effect to morphine and heroin. However, according to the New York Times, fentanyl is 100 times as powerful as morphine and much deadlier than heroine since it requires more naloxone (a drug used to reverse the effects of an opiate overdose).
The prevalence of fentanyl abuse has been on the rise. Due to the fact that fentanyl is cheaper than heroin, drug dealers have been mixing fentanyl with heroin in order to produce a cheaper product, which far too often results in a lethal combination.
In 2015, the Drug Enforcement Administration submitted a nationwide alert about fentanyl-laced heroin and reported that the number of fentanyl-related cases increased from 942 in 2013, to 3,344 in 2014. The CDC estimated a 135% increase in Fentanyl overdoses in New York from 2014-2015. The Onondoga County Health Department reported that one-third of heroin overdose deaths in 2015 involved the presence of fentanyl. Nationwide, over the past five years, the rate of deaths from drug overdoses has increased by 33%. Last year there were over 52,000 overdose deaths. That means that there were 15,000 more deaths attributed to overdose than those killed in car crashes or gun related incidents. By adding additional fentanyl derivatives to the controlled substance schedule, we can deter criminal behavior and help save lives.
Prior legislative history
S6944- Referred to Health
Fiscal implications
None to the State.
Effective date
This act shall take effect 90 days after enactment.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.