Senate Bill S5421

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S5421

SPONSOR: SKOUFIS
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the public health law, in relation to designating Xyla-
zine as a schedule III depressant

 
PURPOSE:

This bill designates xylazine as a Schedule III-controlled substance

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1: Amends subdivision (c) of Schedule III of section 3306 of the
public health law regarding schedules of controlled substances to add a
new paragraph 15 to include Xylazine
N(2,6-dimethylpheny1)-5,6-dihydro-4H-1,3 thiazin-2-amine) as a schedule
III controlled substance.

Section 2: Sets Effective Date

              

 
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ORIGINAL AND AMENDED VERSION (IF APPLICABLE):

Section 1 expands the reference to xylazine to include "salts, isomers,
and salts of isomers."

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Xylazine is a veterinary sedative primarily used on horses during
substantially painful procedures such as castration and dental work.
Much like ketamine. which was classified under New York law as a Sched-
ule III controlled substance in 1997, the drug is being diverted for
human use, causing severe adverse health effects. The Department of
Health reached out to local EMS, warning them of the dangers of xyla-
zine-laced heroin, which has emerged as the most recent threat in New
York state's battle against heroin fentanyl. Both heroin and fentanyl
dealers are using this dangerous substance to "enhance" and "bulk up"
products, thus increasing demand and dependency. The use of xylazine can
lead to hypotension and bradycardia. When combined with central nervous
system depressants, such as benzodiazepines or alcohol, it can signif-
icantly depress vital functions and increase the risk of overdose and
death. Xylazine is sometimes used as an adulterant and combined with
opioids and recreational drugs; however, it has no antidote and, as a
notice released by the FDA to healthcare providers in November 2022
warns,(1) the use of naloxone "may not be able to reverse its effects."
The heroinxylazine combination is so potent that it can take multiple
doses of naloxone to revive an overdose victim, and even this regime is
not guaranteed to be effective. Adding xylazine to the controlled
substance schedule can ensure proper safeguards against diversion and
help combat the heroin epidemic currently plaguing the state.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

Senate

2023: S5439A, Referred to Health

2024: S5439A, Referred to Health
Assembly

2023: A5914A, Referred to Health

2024: A5914A, Referred to Health

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None to the state.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have
become a law.