Suffolk Had Third-Highest Number of Overdose Deaths in the State
By Hank Russell
New York State Assemblyman Keith P. Brown (R,C-Northport) joined other members of the Assembly Republican Conference — including Assemblymembers Joseph M. Giglio (R,C-Gowanda), Scott Bendett (R,C-Sand Lake), Brian Maher (R,C-Walden), Scott Gray (R-Watertown) and Alec Brook-Krasny (R,C-Coney Island) — to renew calls to help raise awareness of the opioid/fentanyl crisis that they say is devastating the state. They are also looking to push forward existing legislative proposals that will address the public health crisis and state of emergency in the wake of the opioid/fentanyl epidemic.
According to the Assembly GOP, the total number of opioid deaths in New York State in the ten years from 2013-2022 was 33,007. Over that same stretch of time, a whopping 214.6% percent change in opioid overdose deaths from 2013 to 2022 was 214.6%—1,732 in 2013 versus 5,449 in 2022. Meanwhile, Suffolk County had the third-highest number of opioid-related deaths during that time period with 474, behind Bronx County (759) and Kings County (654). Rounding out the top five were Queens County with 456 overdose deaths and New York County with 430.
“These statistics are alarming,” Brown, the Ranking Minority Member of the Assembly Committee on Alcoholism and Drug Use, said. “The Assembly Democrat Conference and the leadership of this state have failed to take meaningful steps to address this crisis—this state of emergency—and reduce the number of overdose deaths, especially with only two weeks left of Legislative Session this year. Every day we wait, more lives are lost.”
Brown said that, instead of working on the problem, “Assembly Democrats are content to simply cross their fingers hoping this crisis and our broken mental health care and substance use systems will fix themselves. This is a far cry from reality. It is unconscionable they are keeping certain proposals from going forward and it is ridiculous they refuse to step in.”
Long Island Life & Politics has reached out to the Democratic Assemblymembers and is waiting to hear back.
Specifically, Brown and his colleagues are renewing calls for the passage of proposals currently being blocked by Assembly Democrats, including:
- A.4146, sponsored by Assemblyman John Lemondes (R-Auburn), which will establish dedicated opioid rehabilitation centers
- A.5592, sponsored by Assemblyman Karl Brabenec (R-Florida), which will make it a felony to knowingly and unlawfully enhance another illegal substance with fentanyl
- A.7746, sponsored by Maher, which will direct the commissioner of health to conduct a study to identify, analyze, report and medically combat new or previously unseen opiate/opioid compounds found in overdose patients in New York state for the purpose of establishing more efficient overdose medical treatment protocols
- A.7985, sponsored by Assemblyman Matt Slater (R-Brewster), which will create the “death-by-dealer” statute punishable as a class A-1 felony
Brown and his colleagues are also renewing calls to push forward a comprehensive package of bills to address this state of emergency, including:
- A.8255, sponsored by Gray, which will mandate the pre-trial detention of a principal who stands charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fourth degree or criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree
- A.8383, drafted by Brown, which will allow judges to set bail/remand for felony offenses involving the manufacture, sale, distribution or possession with intent to sell synthetic opioids, including fentanyl
- A.9041, sponsored by Brown, which will require vehicles operated by public transit authorities to contain opioid reversal agents and for public transit authorities to train employees on the proper use of opioid reversal agents
- A.9683, sponsored by Brown, which will require the superintendent of financial services to audit certain reports to ensure that insurers are in full compliance with federal and state mental health and substance use disorder parity requirements
- A.10193, sponsored by Brown, which will include all FDA-approved naloxone forms and doses in New York’s definition of opioid antagonists
- A.10257, sponsored by Brown, will establish a co-occurring disorders patient “Bill of Rights” to be implemented by various agencies
Giglio, who chaired the Assembly Minority Task Force on Heroin Addiction & Community Response 10 years ago, remembered when both sides of the aisle and the governor worked together to stop the scourge of opioid overdoses. “We need to repeat that history,” he said. “Now is the time to work together. This scourge and wave of destruction attacking our families has evolved and grown. We need to bring some common-sense bills to the floor to help our constituents and communities address this crisis. Families are being destroyed. We need to find a way to work together to end the pain and suffering.”
“Ten years later, we are dealing with many of the same issues identified by the Task Force with a different and even more deadly substance, fentanyl. The opioid/fentanyl crisis has taken many lives, but we have the power to help stop the death toll from rising. Now is the time to help this decline gain momentum! Together, we can find hope for these families and individuals gripped by this horrible disease,” said Brown.
“With opioid deaths up 214.6% in the last decade in the state, the urgency for action is clear. We need to be tougher on drug dealers, holding them accountable for the lives they devastate, while expanding support for those battling substance use,” Bendett added. “Our communities deserve nothing less than a relentless fight to end this crisis,” Bendett said.
“The opioid and fentanyl crisis is one of the most pressing public health emergencies of our time. The Assembly Minority Conference has introduced numerous bills to tackle this crisis, but presenting ideas alone is not enough. … We must push past political gridlock and prioritize the well-being of our communities. The time for action is now—we cannot afford to let another opportunity to address this issue slip away,” said Gray, a member of the Assembly’s Committee on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse.
“Nearly every person has been affected by substance use in some way. We are facing a challenge that is destroying lives, hurting communities and tearing families apart,” said Assembly Minority Leader Will Barcley (R,C,I-Pulaski). “New York’s opioid overdose deaths exceed national rates. This is alarming and calls for swift and effective action from the Legislature. Whether it’s prevention, education efforts or promoting treatment, we must do everything in our power to mitigate this staggering crisis.”