Expand Health Education Curriculum

1 Co-sponsor

• Todd Kaminsky

Title of bill

An act to amend the education law, in relation to health education regarding alcohol, drugs, tobacco abuse and the prevention and detection of certain cancers

Purpose or general idea of bill

This bill would require the commissioner of education to make recommen- dations every two years on comprehensive education regarding the dangers of using alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs, including, but not limited to, opioids.

Summary of specific provisions

Section 1 amends subdivision 4 of section 804 of the education law to require the commissioner to make recommendations every two years on the education curriculum relating to the use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs, including but not limited to heroin and opioids.

Section 2 amends paragraph a of subdivision 6 of section 804 of the education law to require the commissioner make recommendations to the board of regents beginning in 2019 and every three years thereafter.

Justification

A federal report indicates that some children are already abusing drugs at age 12 or 13, which likely means that occasional use begins even earlier. (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration).

Locally, treatment centers across New York State report housing 12 and 13 year olds who are receiving inpatient treatment for heroin addiction. In Westchester area schools, counselors report that by the winter break they received "reliable" reports of 65 students misusing opiates. These reports coming directly from students or from friends or family members. (http://www. lohud.com/story/news /local/2015/12/30 /school-counselors- sayo piate-use-common- among-teens/78 007260/.)

These numbers, from both treatment centers and schools around the state are far beyond the normal trends of drug use at various ages. those on the front lines of interacting with students say these numbers of heroin and opioid use are only increasing.

This is all frightening information. The heroin and opioid epidemic is spreading quickly and young adults need to be informed of the true dangers associated with drug use. Unfortunately, as many addiction specialists explain, once individuals are caught in addition, the only ways out of this cycle are entering treatment services voluntarily or as required through the intervention in a criminal process, and even more tragically, many succumb to overdoses and death. Today, the numbers of minors losing their lives to this addiction is staggering, with some counties projecting actual population loss from the high fatality rates (http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/overdosedeaths-wiping- out-erie- county-population-gains-20160426)

The New York State, the commissioner controls the education curriculum statewide. In this position, the commissioner is best situated and informed to institute a swift and strong change to prevent the spread of drug use. With a sequential and comprehensive education plan, the dangers of drug use will be introduced to children and reinforced year after year to hopefully curb any desire to try these dangerous chemi- cals. This legislation and curriculum plan is crucial to protect our young students, who are among the most vulnerable individuals in New York.

Prior legislative history

2016: S.7675 Referred to Education 2017-18: S.1829

Fiscal implications

None.

Effective date

This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that the amendments to paragraph a of subdivision 6 of section 804 of the educa- tion law made by section two of this act, shall take effect on the same date and in the same manner as chapter 390 of the laws of 2016, takes effect.