What's happening
This bill prohibits the issuance of licenses for programs that allow the supervised use or dispensing of narcotic drugs at designated locations.
Why it matters
Prevents New York from establishing or permitting "supervised consumption sites". (sometimes called "safe injection sites"), where individuals can use narcotics under medical supervision, even if such programs could potentially reduce overdose deaths or connect users to treatment.
Limits harm reduction strategies. by blocking a pathway for regulated environments that might otherwise help reduce public drug use, the spread of infectious diseases, and drug-related fatalities.
Restricts local governments or health agencies. from piloting or researching alternative public health responses to the opioid crisis, which could impact innovation in addressing substance use disorders.
Reflects and shapes statewide drug policy. , sending a clear signal that New York is prioritizing strict legal compliance over experimental or controversial public health interventions involving narcotics.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Block Narcotic Drug Licensing
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to health
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
916
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 9, 2019
Introduced by Sen. YOUNG -- 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 issuing of licenses to engage in research, instructional activities and chemical analysis relating to controlled substances
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 3325 of the public health law is amended by adding a new subdivision 5 to read as follows:
5. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no license shall be issued under this title to a person for the administration of a program which includes the administration or dispensing of a narcotic drug, or the supervision of the self-administration of a narcotic drug by an addict or habitual user, as defined in section thirty-three hundred two of this article, at a designated location at which the use of such narcotic drug would otherwise be noncompliant with the provisions of this chapter or the penal law.
§ 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.
LBD04022-01-9
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 the issuing of licenses to engage in research, instructional activities and chemical analysis relating to controlled substances
Purpose or general idea of bill
To prohibit the establishment of government sanctioned safe illegal drug injection sites in New York through a state sanctioned research program under the New York State Department of Health as authorized by the Commissioner of Health.
Summary of provisions
This bill amends section 3325 of the public health law to provide that no research license may be issued for the manufacture, possession, dispensation and administration of controlled substances for scientific or research purposes for the administration or self-injection of controlled substances to an addict or a habitual drug user at a desig- nated location at which such use would otherwise be illegal.
Justification
The Mayor of New York City has recently announced that he will be pursu- ing the establishment of four supervised illegal drug injection sites as a pilot program within the City. In order to accomplish this, the City has written to the state Health Commissioner requesting that the illegal drug injection sites be authorized by the Commissioner of Health as part of a Department of Health sanctioned and licensed study. It is still unclear whether the department would legally be able to approve such a program under the research activity provision of public health law title III. This bill would provide that such authorized research activities using controlled substances would not apply to specific sites where such research would involve the dispensing of or illegal self- injection of a narcotic drug by or to a habitual user or an addict. Even though the ultimate goal of protecting users is laudable, given the inherently addictive and dangerous use of opiates in our society, unprescribed and illegal narcotic drug use for the public should not be sanctioned, encouraged or fostered by the state in any form.
Prior legislative history
2018: S.8662 Referred to Health
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
Immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.