BILL NUMBER: S571

SPONSOR: KENNEDY
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the education law, in relation to health education
regarding alcohol, drugs, tobacco abuse and the prevention and detection
of certain cancers

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

This bill would require the commissioner of education to make recommen-
dations every two years on comprehensive education regarding the dangers
of using alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs, including, but not limited
to, opioids.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends subdivision 4 of section 804 of the education law to
require the commissioner to make recommendations every two years on the
education curriculum relating to the use of alcohol, tobacco, and other
              

drugs, including but not limited to heroin and opioids.

Section 2 amends paragraph a of subdivision 6 of section 804 of the
education law to require the commissioner make recommendations to the
board of regents beginning in 2019 and every three years thereafter.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

A  federal report indicates that some children are already abusing drugs
at age 12 or 13, which likely means  that  occasional  use  begins  even
earlier. (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration).

Locally,  treatment  centers across New York State report housing 12 and
13 year olds who are receiving inpatient treatment for heroin addiction.
In Westchester area schools, counselors report that by the winter  break
they  received "reliable" reports of 65 students misusing opiates. These
reports coming directly from students or from friends or family members.
(http://www. lohud.com/story/news /local/2015/12/30  /school-counselors-
sayo piate-use-common- among-teens/78 007260/.)

These  numbers, from both treatment centers and schools around the state
are far beyond the normal trends of drug use at various ages.  those  on
the front lines of interacting with students say these numbers of heroin
and opioid use are only increasing.

This  is  all frightening information. The heroin and opioid epidemic is
spreading quickly and young adults need  to  be  informed  of  the  true
dangers  associated  with  drug  use.  Unfortunately,  as many addiction
specialists explain, once individuals are caught in addition,  the  only
ways out of this cycle are entering treatment services voluntarily or as
required  through  the intervention in a criminal process, and even more
tragically, many succumb to overdoses and death. Today, the  numbers  of
minors  losing  their  lives  to this addiction is staggering, with some
counties projecting actual population loss from the high fatality  rates
(http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/overdosedeaths-wiping-  out-erie-
county-population-gains-20160426)


The New York State, the commissioner controls the  education  curriculum
statewide.  In  this  position,  the  commissioner  is best situated and
informed to institute a swift and strong change to prevent the spread of
drug use. With  a  sequential  and  comprehensive  education  plan,  the
dangers  of  drug use will be introduced to children and reinforced year
after year to hopefully curb any desire to try  these  dangerous  chemi-
cals.  This  legislation  and  curriculum plan is crucial to protect our
young students, who are among the most  vulnerable  individuals  in  New
York.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2016: S.7675 Referred to Education
2017-18: S.1829

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This  act  shall  take  effect  immediately; provided, however, that the
amendments to paragraph a of subdivision 6 of section 804 of the  educa-
tion  law made by section two of this act, shall take effect on the same
date and in the same manner as chapter 390 of the laws  of  2016,  takes
effect.