Sen. Farley Reports Senate Passes Bill to Help Stop Prescription Drug Abuse by Preventing the Theft and Sale of Blank Prescription Forms

State Senator Hugh T. Farley (R, C, I – Schenectady) announced that he and his colleagues in the New York State Senate recently passed a measure to help stop illegal prescription drugs from entering the black market when criminals steal and sell blank prescription forms. The bill, S3402, creates new penalties for the theft, sale, and unauthorized possession of a blank New York State prescription form to prevent drug abuse and the criminal enterprises that help supply drug addictions.

New York State has taken extensive steps to curb the abuse of prescription drugs. However, current laws are insufficient to prevent the theft, possession, and sale of blank official prescription forms because authorities are precluded from acting until a stolen form is sold. The Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement estimates that over one million official scripts have been stolen from New York City hospitals alone, and these stolen scripts are then sold on black markets by sophisticated drug rings and other criminals.

This bill creates a criminal penalty for three specific situations: grand larceny – a class E felony – for stealing a blank prescription form; criminal possession of stolen property – a class E felony – for possessing a blank prescription form, knowing it is stolen and intending to benefit from it; criminal possession of a prescription form – a class A misdemeanor – for knowingly and unlawfully possesses a blank official New York state prescription form.

The bill has been sent to the Assembly.