From 2002 to 2012, the number of young adults across the state, ages 18 to 25, using heroin has more than doubled. Upstate, the treatment admissions involving heroin have gone up percent. Heroin is inexpensive compared to other narcotics and it continues to be readily accessible, making it the drug of choice for many addicts. In fact, felony drug court participants that reported heroin as their drug of choice increased from 13 percent in 2008 to 24 percent in 2013.

One of the signature accomplishments during the 2014 legislative session was the passage of a comprehensive package of bills to combat New York State’s growing heroin and opioid crisis. The measures target prevention, treatment, and enforcement issues raised during extensive testimony provided by dozens of experts, parents, and concerned New Yorkers at the 18 forums held around the state by the Senate Majority Coalition’s Joint Task Force on Heroin and Opioid Addiction, including one I hosted in my district.

As an update, I wanted to let you know that a multi-faceted media campaign – “Combat Heroin” – is now underway. This is a direct result of senate bill 7911, which I co-sponsored, that required the Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) and the Department of Health (DOH) to establish the Heroin and Opioid Pain Addiction Awareness and Education Program.