Bill Text: NY K00504 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced

New York Assembly Resolution 504

Introduced

Bill Title: Memorializing Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim August 31, 2023, as Overdose Awareness Day in the State of New York

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 20-11)

Status: (Passed) 2023-05-18 - adopted [K00504 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-K00504-Introduced.html


Assembly Resolution No. 504

BY: M. of A. Brown K

        LEGISLATIVE  RESOLUTION memorializing Governor Kathy
        Hochul  to  proclaim  August  31,  2023, as Overdose
        Awareness Day in the State of New York

  WHEREAS, It is the custom of  this  Legislative  Body  to  recognize
official  days  set  aside to increase awareness of serious issues which
affect the lives of citizens of New York State; and

  WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and  in  full  accord  with  its
long-standing  traditions,  it  is the sense of this Legislative Body to
memorialize Governor Kathy  Hochul  to  proclaim  August  31,  2023,  as
Overdose Awareness Day in the State of New York, in conjunction with the
observance of International Overdose Awareness Day; and

  WHEREAS, International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) was established
in  Melbourne,  Australia,  in  2001;  today,  it  has  become  a global
campaign;  in  2019,  874  IOAD  events  took  place  in  39  countries,
surpassing the previous record tally of 747, set in 2018; and

  WHEREAS,  Since  2012,  this annual global event has been planned by
the not-for-profit Australian public health organization,  Anex,  which,
in April of 2014, became a program of Penington Institute; and

  WHEREAS, Penington Institute advances health and community safety by
connecting  substance  use  research  to  practical  action;  this vital
foundation helps individuals and the wider community  through  research,
analysis,  promotion  of  effective  strategies, workforce education and
public awareness activities; and

  WHEREAS, The New York State Department  of  Health,  in  its  Opioid
Annual  Report for 2019, indicated deaths involving any opioid went from
0.9 per 100,000 population in 2010 to 11.3  in  2017,  a  1,194  percent
increase; and

  WHEREAS,  With  deaths involving any opioid nearly tripling over the
past decade the stigma around overdose related deaths  has  only  forced
individuals to suffer in silence; and

  WHEREAS, Overdose Awareness Day aims to raise awareness of overdose,
reduce  the  stigma  of  drug-related  deaths,  and is an opportunity to
stimulate discussion about evidence-based overdose prevention  and  drug
policy; and

  WHEREAS,  Overdose Awareness Day also acknowledges the grief felt by
families and friends whose loved-ones have died  or  suffered  permanent
injury  from  a drug overdose, and spreads the message about the tragedy
of drug overdose death and that drug overdose is preventable; and

  WHEREAS, The goals of Overdose  Awareness  Day  are  to  provide  an
opportunity   for  people  to  publicly  mourn  loved  ones  in  a  safe
environment, some for the first time without  feeling  guilt  or  shame;
include  the greatest number of people in Overdose Awareness Day events,
and encourage non-denominational  involvement;  give  community  members

information  about  the  issue  of  fatal and non-fatal overdose; send a
strong message to current and former people who use drugs that they  are
valued;  stimulate discussion about overdose prevention and drug policy;
provide  basic  information  on  the  range of support services that are
available;  prevent  and  reduce   drug-related   harm   by   supporting
evidence-based  policy  and practice; and inform people around the world
about the risk of overdose; and

  WHEREAS, Overdose Awareness Day is an opportunity to remember  loved
ones lost to overdose and is a "Time to remember. Time to Act."; and

  WHEREAS,  It  is  imperative that there be greater awareness of this
serious health condition; the tragedy of overdose death  is  preventable
and  more  must  be  done  to save lives and increase activity at local,
State and National levels; now, therefore, be it

  RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its  deliberations  to
memorialize  Governor  Kathy  Hochul  to  proclaim  August  31, 2023, as
Overdose Awareness Day in the State of New York; and be it further

  RESOLVED, That a copy of this  Resolution,  suitably  engrossed,  be
transmitted  to The Honorable Kathy Hochul, Governor of the State of New
York.