Suffolk Reporter

Assembly Member DeStefano recently expressed concern over the escalating opioid crisis in New York, emphasizing the need for increased access to FDA-approved opioid reversal agents. Speaking at a press conference on May 7, which he attended with some of his Assembly colleagues, DeStefano highlighted the dramatic shift in the nature of the crisis.

He noted that what began as an issue with prescription drugs has now transitioned into a crisis dominated by Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid responsible for a significant number of overdoses in recent years. He asked, "How many more overdoses need to take place before we finally decide to crack down on this issue and take action once and for all?"

DeStefano drew attention to the alarming increase in overdose cases in New York state, which surged from just 18 cases in 1999 to almost 5,000 in 2022. This sharp rise clearly indicates that current measures are insufficient to tackle this epidemic.

In response to this growing problem, Assembly Member Phil Steck (D-Colonie) has introduced legislation aimed at increasing the availability of opioid overdose reversal agents across New York state (A.8075-C). DeStefano believes that passing this proposed legislation will be a crucial first step towards preventing future overdoses and saving lives.