Melinda's Law- Melinda was battling her addiction due to her relationship and depression. She wanted to seek treatment, but her significant other said it would be best if they worked on it together at home. She was attending a local program in Duchess County and ended up getting together with a few bad people from within the group. They helped her get back into the heavier drugs, which then put her down the path to purchasing a bad batch. The batch was laced with Fentanyl, which ended up taking her life. She left behind her family, friends, and most importantly, her 8-month-old daughter.

We the people of the state of New York demand that a law be passed to hold any individual who knowingly sells a drug that causes the death of another individual to be charged with murder.

New York State is in the midst of a crisis due to the increase of overdoses caused by drugs that are being laced with Fentanyl. Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid analgesic that is similar to morphine but is 50 to 100 times more potent. In its prescription form, Fentanyl is prescribed for pain, but it is also made illegally and distributed with other drugs on the streets.

We are also demanding a law to be passed to hold any individual that is administered Naloxone, which is a medicine that can be used to treat a Fentanyl overdose when given right away, to be held in the hospital for 24 hours. In those 24 hours, the said individual should be evaluated by a psychiatrist. Many drug abusers have mental health disorders, such as depression, bipolar disorder, and anxiety disorders. Drug abusers turn to these drugs because it is the fastest and easiest way to not have to deal with the issues they may be facing, which is ultimately leading to the increase of overdoses in the state of New York. By preventing Naloxone recipients from being released against medical advice, we hope to prevent additional overdoses among the same individual.