Senate Bill S916

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S916

SPONSOR: YOUNG
 
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.