Senate Passes Bill to Help Stop Prescription Drug Abuse By Preventing the Theft and Sale of Blank Prescription Forms

The New York State Senate today passed a measure to help stop illegal prescription drugs from entering the black market when criminals steal and sell blank prescription forms. The bill, S3402, sponsored by Senator Kemp Hannon (R, Nassau), creates new penalties for the theft, sale, and unauthorized possession of a blank New York State prescription form to prevent drug abuse and the criminal enterprises that help supply drug addictions.

Senator Hannon, Chairman of the Senate Health Committee, said, “Prescription drug abuse is a growing crisis in both New York State and the country at large, including armed violence, deaths by overdose and suicide, and increasing rates of addiction. Although New York State has a preeminent program for combating prescription theft and forgery, this system and current penal laws are insufficient to counter the theft, possession, and sale of blank official prescription forms. This bill creates a criminal penalty for three specific situations, and is necessary to combat the criminal diversion of prescription drugs, which feeds addiction, increases overdose and suicide rates, and fuels profits for drug dealers and other criminals.”

New York State has taken extensive steps to curb the abuse of prescription drugs. However, current laws are insufficient to prevent the theft, possession, and sale of blank official prescription forms because authorities are precluded from acting until a stolen form is sold. The Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement estimates that over one million official scripts have been stolen from New York City hospitals alone, and these stolen scripts are then sold on black markets by sophisticated drug rings and other criminals.
 
This bill creates a criminal penalty for three specific situations: grand larceny – a class E felony – for stealing a blank prescription form; criminal possession of stolen property – a class E felony – for possessing a blank prescription form, knowing it is stolen and intending to benefit from it; criminal possession of a prescription form – a class A misdemeanor – for knowingly and unlawfully possesses a blank official New York state prescription form. 

The bill has been sent to the Assembly.