NJ.com: N.J. heroin crisis: Senate, Assembly pass bills that would expand Narcan immunity, require sober living at colleges
12/18/2014
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on December 18, 2014 at 5:03 PM, updated December 19, 2014 at 12:10 AM
The New Jersey Legislature passed several bills targeting the state's burgeoning heroin and prescription opioid problem, which claimed at least 740 lives last year.
Both the state Assembly and Senate passed bills which would bolster mental health and addiction services for prison inmates, create a report card ranking substance abuse treatment centers for the public and extend immunity to emergency responders and others who dispense overdose antidote Narcan. Each now go to Gov. Chris Christie's Desk for approval.
Among the legislation passed in the Senate were bills that would potentially overhaul the state's prevention education curriculum, require some colleges to have sober living facilities and mandate substance abuse and require doctors to warn patients of the addiction nature of prescription drugs. They now head to the Assembly for further consideration.
In the Assembly, a bill was also passed requiring prescribers and pharmacies to notify patients of available drug take-back programs and giving suggestions for the safe disposal of drugs. It heads to the Senate for further consideration.
The bills are the first of a sprawling package introduced by Sen. Joseph Vitale (D-Middlesex) in September to leave either state legislative house.
“New Jersey is home of some of the most pure and least expensive heroin in the country and when ingested it can have catastrophic effects on the user, causing extreme addiction or even death,” Vitale, chairman of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee said in a statement. “Many users across the state first become addicted to prescription medication and then move to the cheaper, stronger and more deadly option of heroin. The State Legislature has taken on the task of reversing this epidemic through prevention options that educate our residents of the dangers of both prescription drug and heroin abuse and through effective treatment options that assist users in recovering from their addictions. This marks a major milestone in changing the drug culture in the state.”
Below is a summary of each bill passed Thursday by the Senate and Assembly. Full summaries are available here.
In the Senate:
S-2366, sponsored by Senators Weinberg and Vitale, would ensure parents and patients are aware of the dangers of certain prescription drugs by requiring practitioners to inform them of their nature.
S-2367, sponsored by Senator Codey, would update New Jersey's core curriculum on substance abuse to make sure that our students are receiving effective prevention education.
S-2373, sponsored by Senators Vitale and Addiego, would provide consumers with a better understanding of treatment options by requiring the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services to annually compare and rank substance abuse providers.
S-2377, sponsored by Senators Barnes and Vitale, would require New Jersey's colleges and universities to provide substance abuse recovery housing options.
S-2378, sponsored by Senators Vitale and Singer, would extend the
Overdose Prevention Act to provide immunity to law enforcement professionals for delivery of an overdose antidote and would require all syringe access programs to carry and dispense the antidote to needle exchange participants.
S-2380, sponsored by Senators Vitale and Lesniak, would ensure that inmates are receiving treatment approved by the agency with the most appropriate expertise and experience by requiring joint regulatory authority over prison-based mental health and substance abuse programs between the Department of Corrections and the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services.
In the Assembly
A-709, sponsored by Assemblymembers Benson, Sumter/ and Lagana, would require pharmacies and prescribers to supply patients with a Division of Consumer Affairs notice publicizing available drug take-back programs and giving suggestions for the safe disposal of drugs with each controlled dangerous substance dispensed.
A-3720, sponsored by Assemblymembers Conaway Jr., Lampitt, Benson and Sumter, would grant immunity to emergency responders and other critical frontline professionals who administer overdose antidotes.
A-3722 , sponsored by Assemblymembers Vainieri, Huttle, Sumter, Mukherji, Mosquera and Gusciora, is designed to address prison-based mental health and substance abuse treatment programs.
A-3716 , sponsored by Assemblymembers Vainieri, Huttle, Sumter, Mukherji, Mosquera and Gusciora, would create a consumer report card on addiction treatment providers.
Stephen Stirling may be reached at sstirling@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @sstirling. Find him on Facebook.