Senate Bill S7095

                                BILL NUMBER:S7095

TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to the disposal of
drugs, drug disposal sites and home pharmaceutical collection

PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To increase public awareness on the proper disposal of drugs and drug
disposal sites.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 of this bill would amend mental hygiene law by adding a new
subdivision (i) that will require the Office of Alcoholism and Substance
Abuse Services (OASAS) in cooperation with the Department of Environ-
mental Conversation (DEC) to post on their agency website information
related to conducting a pharmaceutical collection event. It will also
allow OASAS to assist DEC in the development of a public information
program on the proper disposal of drugs and drug disposal sites.

Section 2 of this bill makes this act take effect on the one hundred
twentieth day after it shall have become law.

JUSTIFICATION:
The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) shows that nearly
one-third of people aged 12 and over who used drugs for the first time
in 2009 began by using a prescription drug non-medically. The same
              

survey found that over 70 percent of people who abused prescription pain
relievers got them from friends or relatives and most likely these drugs
were taken from a household medicine cabinet.  Frequently, individuals
who are prescribed a prescription drug will have excess medications
which are improperly stored, or they are unaware of how to safely
dispose of them.

According to the Office of National Drug Control policy, a Household
Pharmaceutical Collection, which is a partnership between local communi-
ties and organizations, state government and the Drug Enforcement Admin-
istration (DEA), is an effective tool that allows individuals to proper-
ly dispose of unused, unneeded, or expired medications, and helps to
prevent diversion and abuse.

This bill aims to increase public awareness of how to conduct a House-
hold Pharmaceutical Collection Event by adding such information to the
website of the Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services
(OASAS). It also will allow OASAS to assist the Department of Environ-
mental Conversation and the Department of Health in the development of a
public information program regarding the proper disposal of prescription
drugs.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Undetermined.

EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day.