Senator Breslin Helps Pass Legislation to Better Protect Minors from Drug Abuse

Law would increase penalty for criminal sale of control substance to minors under age of 14

(Albany, NY) Senator Neil D. Breslin (D-Delmar) announced that the New York State Senate passed legislation, S3210B, to combat the increase in drug use by young children and increase penalties for those who prey on youth. The new law will establish a more serious offense for the sale of a controlled substance to minors under the age of 14 by making it a class A-II felony.

“We are aware of how vulnerable young minds are and how peer pressure influences our children. We must be proactive in stopping those who want to prey upon young people while they are so impressionable,” said Senator Breslin. “Drug dealers deserve harsher punishments in order to deter the and protect New York’s youth.”

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, an estimated 22.6 million Americans aged 12 or older are currently drug users, meaning they had used a drug during the month prior to the survey interview. This estimate represents 8.9 percent of the population aged 12 or older. The drugs include marijuana/hashish, cocaine (including crack), heroin, hallucinogens, inhalants, or prescription-type psychotherapeutics used recreationally.

Under the new law, the sale of a controlled substance by an adult to a minor under the age of 14 will be a class A-II felony. It provides law enforcement with another tool to help in the battle to protect our children from negative influences by punishing those who profit from the enterprise of selling drugs to our children.

The senator continued, “Children as young as 12 years old are experimenting with addicting drugs. We need to recognize the problem, educate our youth, and enforce harsher punishments to protect our young people from going down the dark road to drug addiction.”

###