What's happening
This bill requires opioid prescription bottles to have a warning label about addiction, depression, overdose, and consulting a medical professional.
Why it matters
Heightens patient awareness of opioid risks. By requiring a prominent warning about addiction, depression, and overdose, this bill ensures that patients are directly informed of the serious dangers associated with opioid use each time they fill a prescription.
Encourages patient-provider communication. The label's directive to "consult your pharmacist or physician before using" may prompt patients to seek professional guidance, increasing the likelihood that they will ask questions or disclose concerns about side effects, mental health changes, or dependency.
Supports broader public health efforts on opioid misuse. This measure aligns with ongoing strategies to combat the opioid crisis by making risk information unavoidable at the point of use, potentially deterring misuse and supporting safer medication practices.
May affect pharmacy and healthcare provider responsibilities. Pharmacies and prescribers may need to adapt workflows to comply with the new labeling requirement, and could see increased inquiries from patients, impacting both workload and the depth of patient counseling offered.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Require Opioid Warning Labels
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 38
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to health
- Referred to rules
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6630
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
July 12, 2019
Introduced by Sen. CARLUCCI -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to labeling prescription bottles of opioids
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 2 of section 3333 of the public health law is amended by adding a new paragraph (d) to read as follows:
(d) In addition to the other requirements of this subdivision, where the controlled substance being dispensed is an opioid, there shall be affixed to the container a label upon which is indelibly typed, printed, or otherwise legibly written "Warning. This drug is highly addictive and may cause depression and overdose. Please consult your pharmacist or physician before using."
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13484-01-9
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 labeling prescription bottles of opioids
Purpose
This bill will require manufacturers and software companies that prepare labels for prescription drugs, which are approved by the state, to contain a warning regarding the addictive properties of opioid drugs.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 - amends subdivision 2 of section 3333 of the Public Health Law to add a new paragraph (d) providing that a new warning must be added to labels of opioid drugs -- "Warning. This drug is highly addic- tive and may cause depression and overdose. Please consult your pharma- cist or physician before using."
Section 2 - Effective Date
Justification
New Yorkers who are prescribed opioid medications should be aware of the potential dangers every time they reach for the bottle. The unprecedented rise in opioid addiction and deaths proves that we must do more to combat the current crisis.
The number of Americans we lose each year to suicide and unintentional overdose has increased more than 250% since 2000. In 2017, over 40% of suicide and overdose deaths were known to have involved opioids, and rates are likely higher due to unrecorded opioid involvement.
Legislative history
New Legislation
Fiscal implications
None to the State.
Effective date
This act shall take effect ninety days after it shall have become law, and provides that any rule or regulation necessary for the implementa- tion of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.