“I offer my thanks and congratulations to Governor Cuomo, Attorney General Schneiderman and bill sponsors Senator Andrew Lanza and Assemblyman Mike Cusick for quickly taking action on the mounting public health concern of prescription opioid abuse.

“The State’s database for monitoring prescriptions has been cumbersome and woefully incomplete, leaving the doctors, pharmacists and public officials who are fighting this epidemic without the critical tool they need to prevent addiction and save lives.

“Fortunately, the solution is simple: get more information into the system on a real-time basis, require that doctors use it when prescribing opioids and ensure that public health officials and law enforcement can access the database as needed to carry out their work stemming the epidemic and catching those who may be committing the crimes that fuel it. 

“The Mayors’ Task Force on Prescription Painkiller Abuse stressed the importance of these measures, and the Governor, Attorney General and the Legislature shared our belief that improving the system in this way could make a real and immediate difference.  Today’s State Senate and Assembly passage of the legislation is a vital step that will help fight this epidemic.”