Amid Growing Support for Public Health, Versus Criminalization Approaches to Drug Use, Governor Cuomo Signs Bill to Expand Methadone and Suboxone Treatment in New York Drug Courts

Experts Recommend New York Embrace Evidence-based, Public Health Approaches to Address Opioid Use and Overdose; Bill Follows Obama Administration Recommendation to Expand Medical Assisted Treatment

Albany —(ENEWSPF)—September 29, 2015. Last Friday, New York Governor Cuomo signed legislation to prohibit drug court judges from forcing defendants suffering from opioid dependency to stop using medication-assisted treatment (MAT), such as methadone or Suboxone, as a condition of avoiding prison, and affirms the value of these medications in drug…