BILL NUMBER: S5299
SPONSOR: ASHBY
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to requiring red cap
tops with a printed warning for opioid medications
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
Add to current Public Health Law the requirement that all prescription
Schedule II,III,IV, or V drugs shall have a Red Cap on the top and will
have a warning message as to its addictive properties.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Amends section 3331 of the Public Health Law by adding a new
subsection(c) which adds the requirement that all Schedule II,III,IV, or
V drugs must be sealed with a Red Cap and have the printed words
"Caution: Opioid. Risk of Overdose and Addiction" on it.
Section 2: Provides that this act shall take effect on the 180th day
after it becomes law.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
With the Opioid Epidemic still ravaging our communities and health care
system, it is important to take action to try to alleviate some of the
risks of prescription drug abuse. This bill seeks to give a preliminary
warning as to the dangerous and addictive effects of Opioids when not
taken properly. While current law does have orange stickers affixed to
the side of bottles, a red cap would be a much more visible sign and put
us in line with other States. This law is meant to protect children and
those unaware of the contents of a pill bottle from readily consuming
the pills within, and hopes to give further warning to those prescribed
the pills as to their addictive properties.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-24: S.6111-A, referred to Health
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
180 days after it becomes law.