Morgan McKay is reporting for State of Politics Governor Andrew M. Cuomo August 24, signed legislation that expands the list of business establishments permitted to possess and administer opioid overdose reversal medication such as Narcan. The list of permissible businesses now includes malls, beauty parlors, theaters, hotels, restaurants, bars and retail establishments. "We have made tremendous progress in combating addiction across New York and while we have seen a reduction in opioid deaths over the past 10 years, there is still work to be done," Cuomo said. The bill will also give these businesses protection under the Good Samaritan Law, so they will not be penalized for providing medical attention. Drug overdoses have been on the rise nationwide since 2018. Nearly 72,000 Americans died from drug overdoses last year, a 5 percent increase over the previous year, according to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention. In 2020, the American Medical Association released a report stating that as of July, more than 35 states have seen an increase of opioid related deaths and some cities reported increases of 20 to 40 percent. "People carrying and administering naloxone often make the difference between life and death for an individual suffering an opioid overdose," Assembly sponsor Linda Rosenthal said. The New York bill goes into effect immediately. Read the full story at nystateofpolitics [dot] com.