Relates to the availability of opioid reversal agents

• Democratic17
• Republican8

◆ The sponsor's argument

Why Pete Harckham says this is needed

This legislation is critically important as New York continues to confront an alarming increase in the rate of overdose deaths. Data from the CDC reports that the share of drug overdose deaths in the State involving opioids increased to 85% in 2020 and 2021 from 69% in 2010, and overdose fatalities grew across all racial and ethnic groups. Death rates increased five-fold for Black New Yorkers, quadrupled for Hispanic or Latino New Yorkers, and nearly tripled for white New Yorkers. In 2021, 30 out of every 100,000 New Yorkers lost their lives to drug over- doses; of that, 30, 25 died specifically from opioid overdoses. A stag- gering rise from 2010, which saw 5 opioid-related deaths per 100,000 residents. This public health crisis has evolved and continues to grow significantly. The transition from prescription drugs to heroin, and now predominantly to fentanyl, a synthetic opioid is responsible for a substantial portion of overdose incidents in recent years. Synthetic opioids, especially fentanyl, present a formidable challenge due to their unparalleled .potency-up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. The numbers in New York are striking, with synthetic opioid-related overdoses, mainly due to fentanyl, rising from just 18 cases in 1999 to 4,950 in 2022. As we work to develop effective strategies to reduce overdose fatalities, it is essential that all communities in New York State have access to every life-saving FDA- approved opioid reversal agent. As the Food and Drug Administration continues to approve various formu- lations and dosages of FDA-approved opioid reversal agents to combat the rise of synthetic opioid overdose, it becomes essential for New York to offer the flexibility to make all formulations and dosages readily available. This approach aligns with a 2020 advisory from the CDC, which was directed at first responders, harm reduction organizations, and other stakeholders. The CDC's recommendations include the imperative to "expand distribution and use of FDA-approved opioid reversal agents and overdose prevention education." Increasing the resources accessible to first responders and individuals within the community is of paramount importance, particularly considering that 40% of all overdoses occur in the presence of another individual. This legislation will ensure that New York State is equipped with a comprehensive toolkit to effectively combat the overdose crisis and the surge in synthetic opioids, which is profoundly impacting communities and families across the state.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.