Politics & Government
Trying to Lessen Heroin Overdoses
A bill is in the New York State Senate that offers immunity to drug users who report others' use.
The Long Island Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence is urging the New York State Senate to pass a bill that will grant immunity to a heroin user for calling 911 to report another person's overdose.
Heroin has been a growing problem on Long Island for the last decade. According to LICADD’s website, the price of heroin has gone down significantly and is now more accessible to young people who are mixing heroin with OxyContin and Fentanyl.
Despite the number of successful drugs busts done by Nassau and Suffolk County police, the heroin trade has continued to prosper on Long Island. Dr. Reynolds said that Long Island is almost “ground zero” for the increasing heroin crisis in America. A few towns on Long Island that have been hit particularly hard are Massapequa, Wantagh and Merrick, but the heroin trade is expanding by the day.
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LICADD, based in Williston Park, held a press conference at Nassau University Medical Center on Wednesday outside of the medical examiner’s office to discuss the bill and its importance. The way things stand now, if any user who calls 911 can be prosecuted for heroin use, which means that many users are not reporting overdoses and leaving victims to die.
“Upwards of 300 people died from heroin overdoses within the last year," LICADD Director Dr. Jeffrey Reynolds said. "Young people who are drinking or using drugs together will see a friend in trouble and will panic and leave.”
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Reynolds and LICADD are urging the New York State Senate to pass the bill before the legislative session ends this upcoming Monday. Currently the Senate is unsure whether or not they will get to it before the session’s end and is discussing what to do about the bill.
Dr. Reynolds noted that LICADD and the other supporters of this bill are not interested in having drug dealers given immunity and the bill is focused only on heroin users who are reporting an overdose.
Ira Costell, an uncle of David Costell who was a victim of a heroin overdose, urged the legislature to pass this bill at the press conference. Frank Kroll, a father whose son died of a heroin overdose, also called upon the legislature to pass the bill.
“Passing this bill is a no-brainer," Kroll said.
