A bill to track prescription drug disbursement in the state has been approved by the Senate.
A local drug abuse prevention organization believes this will give the state a major boost in its fight against drug abuse.
New York is one of the first states in the country to create a law with a series of provisions to overhaul the way prescription drugs are distributed and tracked. It's called I-STOP and will require all medical providers to enter prescriptions into a real time monitoring registry.
Andrea Wanat is Executive Director of the Erie County Council For The Prevention Of Alcohol And Substance Abuse. She says there's a common misconception that prescription medications won't lead to dependency.
"People think if one makes me feel good then I'll take three and that'll make me feel really good and before you know it, you develop some sort of tolerance and that can lead to addiction," says Wanat.
The I-STOP bill also includes measures to increase education and awareness about the dangers of prescription drug abuse.