Public Safety

September 14, 2023 | Controlled Substances, Fentanyl, Legal & Legislative Research, Public Health, Public Safety, Substance Abuse, Synthetic Drugs

In this survey, the Legislative Analysis and Public Policy Association (LAPPA) examines the legislative and regulatory response at the state level to the issue of fentanyl cleanup. As at the federal level, there is little policy in this area, and the only exceptions to that rule are very recent. Findings are presented jurisdiction by jurisdiction for easy comparison among the states....

August 28, 2023 | Controlled Substances, Harm Reduction, Legal & Legislative Research, Opioids, Pharmacy, Prescription Drugs, Public Health, Public Safety, Substance Abuse

In this document, the Legislative Analysis and Public Policy Association examines state-level legislative and administrative responses to the public health risk posed by expired and unused prescription medications. In the last several years, states, in coordination with the Federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) have enacted legislation or promulgated administrative regulations to authorize drug take-back programs where expired or unused pharmaceuticals can be collected from the public by authorized persons and disposed of in a safe manner. Findings are presented by state for ease of comparison....

August 4, 2023 | Controlled Substances, Harm Reduction, Law Enforcement, Legal & Legislative Research, Opioids, Public Health, Public Safety, Sharps/Syringes, Substance Abuse

Syringe services programs (SSP) are harm reduction programs that provide a wide range of services including, but not typically limited to, the provision of new, unused hypodermic needles and syringes and other injection drug use supplies, such as cookers, tourniquets, alcohol wipes, and sharps waste disposal containers, to people who inject drugs. In this summary, readers will find information with respect to SSPs for each state, including citations to applicable statutes and/or regulations, whether the state allows SSPs by statute, whether there are any municipal or county ordinances or regulations in place within the state, program components, miscellaneous provisions, and information on any pending legislation....

July 17, 2023 | Criminal Justice, Fact Sheets, First Responders, Law Enforcement, Public Safety, Substance Abuse

Deflection is any collaborative intervention connecting law enforcement, other first responders, and community responders with public health systems to create pathways to treatment and services for individuals—with low to moderate criminogenic risk—who have a substance use disorder, mental health disorder, or co-occurring disorders and who often have other service needs. This fact sheet provides an overview of what deflection is, examples of initiatives utilizing one or more of the six recognized deflection pathways, and a brief description of the status of deflection-related laws in the United States....

June 6, 2023 | Controlled Substances, Fact Sheets, Prescription Drugs, Public Safety, Substance Abuse

This fact sheet addresses the issue of drug diversion in health care settings. Drug diversion is defined as any criminal act or deviation that removes a prescription drug from its intended path from the manufacturer to the patient, and while the act of diversion can occur in a variety of settings and be committed by anyone, it is particularly likely to occur in healthcare settings by healthcare workers due to the ease in which they can access prescription drugs. Drug diversion in health care is a serious issue that can result in patient harm, financial loss to the healthcare entity, and civil and criminal litigation based on the perpetrator’s actions....

May 3, 2023 | Controlled Substances, Harm Reduction, K-12 Education, Model Laws, Public Health, Public Safety

Developed in collaboration with the Earl Carl Institute for Legal and Social Policy at Texas Southern University’s Thurgood Marshall School of Law, the Model School Response to Drugs and Drug-related Incidents Act guides states in establishing a consistent and positive response for public schools to best support students who have drug or drug-related incidents on school premises or at school-related functions....

February 3, 2023 | Controlled Substances, First Responders, Legal & Legislative Research, Naloxone, Opioid Antagonists, Opioids, Public Health, Public Safety, Substance Abuse

In an effort to save lives, states have implemented laws to make it easier for first responders and the general public to obtain naloxone. Additionally, to encourage people to assist an individual who is or may be suffering an overdose, the majority of states also enacted laws which protect laypeople who administer naloxone, in good faith, in an emergency from civil and/or criminal liability. The Legislative Analysis and Public Policy Association (LAPPA) undertook an extensive research project to determine the current status of naloxone access laws throughout the United States, including the District of Columbia and all U.S. territories. As of August 2020, all 50 states and the District of Columbia have some form of a naloxone access law. ...

January 17, 2023 | Controlled Substances, Criminal Justice, Harm Reduction, Law Enforcement, Peer Support and Recoery Services, Public Health, Public Safety, Recovery, Substance Abuse, Toolkits, Treatments

This toolkit is for justice and public safety practitioners planning to implement peer support services in law enforcement agencies, court-based programs, community supervision agencies, and correctional settings. Each section of the toolkit offers critical questions to address during the planning and implementation phase, case studies, tools, and resources drawn from the latest research, subject matter experts, and experiences from diverse settings across the United States....