Public Colleges in New York are now required to have opioid overdose medication in housing facilities.
Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation requiring the supply of opioid antagonists. Opioid antagonists, such as Naloxone, can reverse the fatal effects of an opioid overdose.
In addition to ensuring all State University of New York and City University of New York owned or operated housing facilities stock this vital medicine, resident assistants and other designated employees of the colleges will be trained to administer these antagonists in the case of overdose emergencies.
This bill comes in response to the ongoing opioid epidemic crisis. Opioid overdoses have surpassed gun-related murders and car accidents as the leading cause of death for Americans under 50 years old, with as many as 64,000 people last year estimated to have lost their lives. New York State is no exception to this crisis, experiencing over 2,939 fatal overdoses in 2019.
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