Senate Bill S9187

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S9187

SPONSOR: MURRAY
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the public health law, in relation to adding nitazene to
schedule I of controlled substances

 
PURPOSE:

This bill would designate nitazene as a schedule I opiate outlawing its
possession and use.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section one of the bill amends Subdivision (b) of schedule I of section
3306 of the public health law to add Xylazine to the list of opiates
that are designated as controlled substances when any such substance is
intended for human consumption.

Section two of the bill provides the effective date.

              

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Nitazene is the latest in the seemingly endless parade of dangerous
drugs pushed by dealers and organized crime on vulnerable New Yorkers.
Nitazene is a synthetic opiod originally developed as an alternative to
morphine, but its highly addictive qualities made it unsuited for any
legitimate use.

In recent years, however, nitazene has become a global illegal drug
concern. According to reports issued by the US Drug Enforcement Adminis-
tration (DEA), the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, and the Inter-American
Drug Abuse Control Commission, began emerging in the European illicit
drug market just a few years ago and has quickly spread world-wide.
Nitazene can be almost 50 times more potent that fentanyl, depending on
the recipe used to synthesize it, and can be injected, snorted, vaped,
and taken in pill form. While opioid antagonists such as Narcan (noxo-
lone) can reverse a nitazene overdose, Nitazine's extreme potency often
requires several Narcan doses to have any effect. Nitazine's extreme
potency poses a particularly dangerous risk of death.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New Bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.