NY’s Governor Cuomo wrote a letter to New Yorkers in regards to prescription drug use. Click below to read the letter.
Dear Fellow New Yorker,
Illegal use of prescription medicine has become one of the nation’s fastest-growing drug problems. Nearly 15,000 people die every year of overdoses due to prescription painkillers nationwide and the prescription drug abuse epidemic has impacted families and lives across New York State.
Recognizing that more than 70 percent of the abused prescription medications are obtained from friends or relatives, this legislation also includes a disposal program to encourage New Yorkers to safely dispose of unused prescription drugs. Additionally, it will increase education for health care providers about the potential for abuse of controlled substances, and the proper balancing of pain management with abuse prevention.
Click here to learn more about the legislation.
With this groundbreaking legislation, Governor Cuomo is making sure that New York State leads the nation in protecting its citizens by helping to put an end to the devastating consequences of prescription drug abuse.
This week, Governor Cuomo, legislative leaders, and the Attorney General announced an agreement that will make New York State a national leader in the battle against prescription drug abuse. The Governor’s legislation creates an all-electronic online registry – the first in the nation – to enable doctors, pharmacists, and law enforcement to track controlled substances in real time and prevent excessive prescription and refill requests.
