Bill Text: NJ A2692 | 2010-2011 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes prescription and over-the-counter drug abuse public awareness campaign; designated Jason's Law.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-05-13 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee [A2692 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2010-A2692-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman NELSON T. ALBANO
District 1 (Cape May, Atlantic and Cumberland)
Assemblyman MATTHEW W. MILAM
District 1 (Cape May, Atlantic and Cumberland)
Assemblywoman VALERIE VAINIERI HUTTLE
District 37 (Bergen)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman McHose
SYNOPSIS
Establishes prescription and over-the-counter drug abuse public awareness campaign; designated Jason's Law.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act establishing a public awareness campaign about prescription and over-the-counter drug abuse.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The Director of the Division of Addiction Services in the Department of Human Services, in consultation with the New Jersey Prevention Network and the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey, shall establish a public awareness campaign to promote awareness among the general public of issues relating to prescription and over-the-counter drug abuse.
b. The public awareness campaign shall include the development and implementation of public awareness and outreach efforts that address:
(1) the increasing number of children in middle and high schools who are abusing prescription drugs;
(2) the use of the Internet to obtain controlled dangerous prescription drugs for non-medical and recreational uses by the general public and children, in particular;
(3) the great potential for prescription and over-the-counter drug abuse to cause debilitation or death;
(4) the general misperception of children and adults that prescription and over-the-counter drugs are safer than street drugs and, therefore, children and adults feel more comfortable abusing those perceived "safer" drugs;
(5) the need for parents to understand the danger posed to their children by prescription and over-the-counter drug abuse, and discuss with their children the risks of, and recognize the behaviors associated with, such abuse; and
(6) the risk for older adults of the serious consequences associated with medication interaction with alcohol or other medications.
c. The division shall make available electronically on its website, in English and Spanish, information about the issues concerning prescription and over-the-counter drug abuse, as described in subsection b. of this section.
2. The Director of the Division of Addiction Services shall:
a. coordinate the efforts of the division with other State or private agencies that are undertaking activities to provide information to the public about prescription and over-the-counter drug abuse;
b. within the limits of available funds, seek to utilize electronic and print media to disseminate information to the public;
c. develop a model curriculum and disseminate it to middle schools, high schools, and institutions of higher education as the director deems necessary to effectuate the purposes of this act;
d. have the authority to apply for and accept, for the purposes of this act, federal funding and funds, services, or property from a foundation, organization, corporation or other entity; and
e. report, no later than 18 months after the effective date of this act, to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to the Legislature on the activities and accomplishments of the public awareness campaign established pursuant to this act.
3. This act shall take effect immediately and expire upon the issuance of the report required pursuant to section 2 of this act.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes a prescription and over-the-counter drug abuse public awareness campaign in the Division of Addiction Services (DAS) in the Department of Human Services to promote awareness among the general public of issues relating to prescription and over-the-counter drug abuse. The Director of DAS would establish the public awareness campaign in consultation with the New Jersey Prevention Network and the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey.
Under the provisions of the bill, the Director of DAS is required to:
· coordinate the efforts of DAS with other State or private agencies that are undertaking activities to provide information to the public about prescription and over-the-counter drug abuse;
· within the limits of available funds, seek to utilize electronic and print media to disseminate information;
· develop a model curriculum and disseminate it to middle schools, high schools, and institutions of higher education as the director deems necessary to effectuate the purposes of this bill; and
· report no later than 18 months after the bill's effective date to the Governor and Legislature on the activities and accomplishments of the public awareness campaign.
The director also would have the authority to apply for and accept federal funding and funds, services or property from a foundation, organization, corporation or other entity for the purposes of the bill.
The campaign would address: the increasing number of children in middle and high schools who are abusing prescription drugs; the use of the Internet to obtain controlled dangerous prescription drugs for non-medical and recreational uses; the great potential for prescription and over-the-counter drug abuse to cause debilitation or death; the general misperception of children and adults that prescription and over-the-counter drugs are safer than street drugs; the need for parents to understand the danger posed to their children by prescription and over-the-counter drug abuse, and discuss risks and recognize behaviors associated with such abuse; and the risk for older adults of the serious consequences associated with medication interaction with alcohol or other medications.
This bill, which is designated Jason's Law, was prompted by an accidental death from an overdose of prescription drugs by a pre-pharmacy student, who ordered drugs over the Internet from a pharmacy in Mexico, without a prescription.
