Governor Cuomo came to Staten Island Wednesday night for a public meeting vowing to fight the borough's heroin epidemic. A special task force charged with addressing the opioid crisis met at a Mt. Loretto community center Wednesday. NY1’s Natalie Duddridge filed the following report.
It's the sign of a serious commitment to tackle the borough's Heroin epidemic. Governor Andrew Cuomo brought members of his heroin task force to Staten Island to listen to the community’s concerns and develop an action plan.
“This is a drug that is increasing like fire through dry grass. We have a public health crisis on our hands,” said Cuomo.
Patrick Smith, a recovering addict, knows the dangers of heroin all too well.
“I started off just experimenting in high school and quickly stepped up to pills, and the next thing that was around was heroin,” Smith said.
Smith abused drugs for about 6 years and says it took hitting rock bottom to seek help. But not everyone has been that lucky.
The Staten Island District Attorney’s office says there have been 48 fatal overdoses on the island so far this year.
“We need changes in law, but we need resources, more detectives; I just got the city of New York to give us 15 more narcotics detectives,” said Staten Island District Attorney Michael McMahon.
“I think we should be judged on performed and products and results. We need to respond and we need to respond quickly,” said Cuomo.
Governor Cuomo also spoke about the responsibility of the pharmaceutical companies that produce pain medications, and community members echoed those concerns saying doctors need to think twice about what they're prescribing.
“If a kid gets hurt, hurts his leg or something, and he needs pain medication I think 3 days is enough, and then take your Tylenol. But what they're giving them, by the time they're done they’re hooked,” said concerned attendee Rachel Ruggiero.
There was also talk about making insurance companies liable.
“Why so many families show up presenting themselves willing to take the treatment, but you have to be turned away and told to come back days later, those differences can be the difference between life and death,” said Lt. Governor Kathy Hochul.
The governor’s panel is expected to unveil its recommendations on how to solve the problem as early as next week. He hopes the solution in the form of legislation will pass before lawmakers recess for the summer.