Huffington Post – by Matt Sledge
A bill meant to stem deaths from heroin overdoses advanced in the New York Senate Tuesday, just days after actor Philip Seymour Hoffman died of an apparent drug overdose.
Sponsored by State Sen. Kemp Hannon (R), the bill would increase access to naloxone, a special drug that can reverse overdoses from heroin and other opioids. Introduced before Hoffman’s death, it passed out of the state Senate’s Health Committee unanimously on Tuesday.
Naloxone has been credited with reversing at least 10,000 overdoses since 1996, according to the Centers for Disease Control. But because it is a prescription drug, it is often difficult to administer it in time to the patients who need it most. Hannon’s bill would allow doctors to write general orders allowing naloxone training organizations to distribute the drug to anyone who takes a short training course. Non-profit groups like VOCAL-NY believe it will allow them to greatly expand naloxone access.
It’s not clear that the drug could have helped Hoffman, who was apparently alone when he overdosed. But Matt Curtis of VOCAL-NY said that since Hoffman’s death, the actor’s name has come up constantly in conversation with legislators and staff.
“The bill is only a week old so it’s moving very fast from our point of view, which is great,” he said in an email.
A companion measure has been introduced in the state Assembly by Jeffrey Dinowitz (D). Both bills are meant to build on the success of an earlier state “Good Samaritan” law that protects people from prosecution if they call 911 to report an overdose.
At least 16 states have some version of a Good Samaritan law, according to the Robert Wood Johnson Health Foundation’s Law Atlas. More seem to be following as part of a “harm reduction” strategy to reduce deaths from drug abuse.
“New York has shown strong bipartisan cooperation when it comes to responding to the overdose crisis affecting families across our state,” Gabriel Sayegh, the New York state director for the Drug Policy Alliance, said in a statement. “Tragedies like the actor Philip Seymour Hoffman’s apparent overdose death over the weekend draw attention to an ongoing public health crisis that we can and should be doing more to address.”
“Naloxone has been credited with reversing at least 10,000 overdoses since 1996, according to the Centers for Disease Control.”
Must be frustrating to build a steady customer base, supply them with a product they would do pretty much anything to obtain, only to have them check out before further enriching the Zionist coffers.
Undoubtedly a topic of great concern at the annual shareholders meeting.
If we had a overdose prevention bill U.S. troops wouldn’t be guarding poppy fields in Afghanistan.We’ve had an overdose of militarism and democracy and fake money and indoctrination.Heroin will always be here as long as theres a market for it.People are free to choose whether they opt to partake or not.It’s like government.You can think for yourself or opt out.Better to live free than die a slave like your masters will.
““The bill is only a week old so it’s moving very fast from our point of view, which is great,” he said in an email.”
Never let a good crisis (or incident) go to waste. I’m sure if it was some no name person, this bill wouldn’t even be glanced at, let alone thought of.
Almost like they were waiting for the right moment or incident to occur before bringing out a bill on it. Are we sure Hoffman really overdosed or was he murdered for this bill?
By the way, how can you prevent someone from overdosing? They don’t even know they are overdosing until it happens half the time. Like preventing an alcoholic from drinking too much beer. Before you know it, there are 5 empty bottles on the table. It just happens.
These corporate jerks have bills “waiting in the wings” already written and just need a high profile incident to occur so it passes without any debate. Reminds me of 9-11 and the Patriot Act. This new drug probably costs a fortune and I wouldn’t doubt that big pharma purposely gave out bad heroin just hoping someone of importance would die. If this bill passes in New York then it will probably pass in other states too. Now just imagine all hospitals and clinics and EMT’s having to store this Naloxone and keep it on hand at all times. Just think of the money that goes to big pharma? Billions.