Legislators work with Ocean County Prosecutor’s office to curtail drug epidemic
Legislators, with input from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, are touting legislation to curtail the prescription drug and heroin “epidemic” in the county.
According to a press release, after meeting with Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph Coronato, state Sen. Jim Holzapfel, R-10, and assemblymen Dave Wolfe and Greg McGuckin have sponsored or endorsed several pieces of legislation to increase penalties and prevent illegal sale of prescription drugs.
Mr. Coronato said the county already has experienced 71 overdose deaths to date in 2013. The total amount of overdose deaths in 2012 was 53.
”We must strengthen drug statutes in order to stop the suppliers and to, ultimately, stop the deaths,” he said.
Legislators said prescription drug abuse can be a gateway to heroin addiction.
One bill, S-2781/A-4151, sponsored by state Sen. Chris Connors, R-9, would allow for certain drug-dealing offenses to be graded by units rather than weight of the substance. Through this change, defendants would be charged with a higher offense, per the release.
Another bill recently introduced, A-4220, would increase participation in the state’s electronic prescription monitoring program, which collects data on prescriptions. The measure would encourage physicians to participate, increasing information sharing state to state regarding the dispersion of all controlled and dangerous substances, according to legislators.

