LEGISLATIVE CHANGES CAN CUT OVERDOSE DEATHS

Chris Farley. Heath Ledger. Anna Nicole Smith and her son, Daniel.
Each died of accidental drug overdoses. But celebrities are not the
only ones dying that way. According to the Centers for Disease
Control, more than 23,000 people died of accidental drug overdoses in
2005, the last year for which we have comprehensive data. This tops
the number of homicides that year (18,000). Overdose deaths have been
on the rise. Nearly 1,000 people died of accidental drug overdose in
2006, making it the fourth-leading cause of death among adults in New
York City, after heart disease, cancer and AIDS.

The state Legislature can take three immediate steps to reduce
accidental overdose deaths.

*Make naloxone more widely available. Naloxone is a short-acting
opiate antagonist that reverses the effects of an opiate overdose,
including heroin and prescription opiates such as oxycodone. A few
years ago, New York legislators made naloxone widely available for
prescription and distribution by medical providers to active drug
users. Extending medical standing orders to naloxone prescription
could further expand access, and FDA approval of intranasal naloxone
and over-the-counter sales of the near-harmless drug (which has a low
potential for abuse) could assure wider accessibility across the country.

*Remove the barriers to sterile syringe access for injection drug
users. New York is a national leader in the development and delivery
of effective syringe exchange programs, whose clients are more likely
to access treatment and other needed services. Yet many drug users do
not access these programs for fear of arrest -- for possession of
syringes! The Legislature passed the Expanded Syringe Access Program
in 2000, amending the Public Health Law and making possession of
sterile syringes legal if they were obtained from a registered
pharmacy or medical provider. However, syringe possession itself
remains illegal under the criminal code, creating a conflict between
the public health law and the penal law. Both law enforcement and
public health experts agree syringes should be removed from the penal
code. Doing so will increase involvement in syringe exchange programs,
making naloxone and overdose prevention education more available to
this vulnerable population.

*Pass a Good Samaritan immunity law. Many fatal drug overdoses occur
in the presence of witnesses, but witnesses often fear calling 911
when illicit drugs are involved. The No. 1 reason given for not
calling for help? Fear of police arrest and criminal prosecution.
Remember the 18 minutes that Ledger's masseuse took to call 911 after
discovering his body? When every second counts, a Good Samaritan
immunity law could do much to eliminate the fear that typically causes
hesitation before calling for emergency medical response services.

Last year, in the face of the highest overdose death rate in the
country, New Mexico became the first state to enact a 911 Good
Samaritan law. The law encourages people to call 911 in the event of a
suspected overdose by providing immunity from arrest for simple drug
law violations. The law prioritizes saving lives over arresting
low-level drug users. Major traffickers are not protected, nor are
police restricted from securing the scene of an overdose fatality.
It's smart public policy in a comprehensive overdose prevention strategy.

Both New York Republicans and Democrats have exhibited leadership in
efforts to reduce overdose fatalities. Sen. Thomas Morahan, a Rockland
County Republican, has introduced a bill requiring more accurate
tracking and reporting of overdose deaths, so that public health
departments can develop and expand programs to reduce overdose
fatalities. Assemblyman Richard Gottfried, a Manhattan Democrat, has
introduced a 911 Good Samaritan bill similar to New Mexico's. Both
bills deserve bipartisan support so New York can prevent overdose
deaths. That will be good for celebrities and non-celebrities alike.