New York Governor Kathy Hochul has outlined a number of harm-reduction measures to deal with the state’s soaring drug overdose rate, giving the first indication of her new administration’s drug policy priorities. In her state-of-the-state address, Hochul proposed forming a new department of harm reduction, and expanding access to safe syringes, overdose reversal drugs, and fentanyl test strips as part of a broader effort to cut the overdose rate, which increased by 33 percent during the pandemic year, the governor said. While the address signaled her interest in harm reduction as a strategy, it is not too late for her to include other measures in the upcoming state budget aimed at expanding access to drug treatment. Over the past few years, treatment providers have been struggling to maintain services during the pandemic and funding shortfalls.
And finally, Around half of New York cities and towns don’t want marijuana dispensaries or consumption lounges, according to the latest tracking data on how municipalities have decided on the opt-out provision in the state’s new marijuana legalization law. After the end-of-year deadline to choose had closed, 47 percent of the state’s 1,521 municipalities opted out of having dispensaries and 54 percent said no to on-site consumption lounges. While some 60 percent of voters say they support legalization, the “not in my backyard” mentality prevails when it comes to allowing local cannabis businesses, a trend seen in other legal pot states including Oregon, Colorado, and California. In many localities, there was strong organized resistance to opting in, and in others, local leaders simply decided to wait until the state finalizes its rules and regulations for the market, and can opt-in at a later date.