Assemblyman Keith P. Brown (R,C-Northport) attended a bipartisan press conference yesterday led by Assemblyman Phil Steck (D-Colonie) and Sen. Peter Harckham (D,WF), other Senate and Assembly Members, including Sen. Jake Ashby (R), Assemblyman Scott Bendett (R,C-Sand Lake), Assemblyman Joe DeStefano (R,C-Medford), Assemblyman Alec Brook-Krasny (R,C-Coney Island) and law enforcement to advocate for bill A.8075-C/S.8991. This bill aims to make a wider variety of fentanyl/opioid reversal agents available in the event of an overdose emergency, and Brown was proud to be able to support his colleagues on this very important topic on Fentanyl Awareness Day.

“The fentanyl/opioid epidemic in New York state is escalating quickly, claiming more and more innocent lives each year,” said Brown. “In the event of an overdose emergency, Narcan and other federal Food and Drug Administration-approved fentanyl/opioid reversal agents must be readily available to the public so family, friends or Good Samaritans can intervene.

“As the Ranking Minority on the Assembly Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Committee and a concerned parent who has lost family and friends to this terrible epidemic, I am committed to fighting back for the sake of my children and others throughout the state. We must support this proposal and others like it; if an individual is experiencing an overdose emergency, it does not have to end in death. It’s time we set aside any fears or trepidations we might have when it comes to Narcan and other reversal agents. While some people claim to feel sick after being given a dose of Narcan, the temporary side effects that could result from the use of this life-saving measure are worth it.

“If it means one more innocent life is saved, that is enough,” Brown concluded.