Ceretto joins Cuomo at signing of anti-heroin bills

Earlier this week, Assemblyman John Ceretto joined Gov. Andrew Cuomo as he officially signed legislation that combats the rising scourge of heroin addiction in New York. The rate of heroin addiction in the state has skyrocketed over the last decade, with 89,269 cases of heroin and prescription opiate treatment admissions - up from 63,793 in 2004.

"Too many families have had to suffer through the addiction or loss of a loved one," Ceretto said. "Now, we are taking proactive steps to prevent addiction and get treatment to those who need it before it is too late. By cracking down on the illegal drug distributors and increasing access to care for people who are addicted, we hope to reverse the disturbing upward trend of heroin use in New York."

The legislation is designed to confront a wide variety of problems related to heroin addiction. This package includes measures to increase access to addiction treatment, new penalties to crack down on illegal drug dealers and distributors, and a new public education program to prevent heroin and illegal drug use before it starts.