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Good Samaritan Policies
From SSDPedia
Good Samaritan Policies (or GSPs) are policies that shield people from punishment when they call for emergency help in overdose situations. The logic behind this is that people may hesitate to call for help because the threat of punishment is a deterrent, but by removing the threat of punishment, there will be an increased chance that people will call for help.
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[edit] College & University GSPs
Over 90 schools in the United States have adopted Good Samaritan Policies. SSDP has compiled a list of these schools which can be found on the Good Samaritan Policy campaign page.
[edit] Statewide GSPs
As of February of 2007, there has been Good Samaritan legislation introduced in Maryland and Washington state, and SSDP chapters are pursuing such legislation in Conecticut, Rhode Island, and Florida.
[edit] New Mexico
New Mexico is currently the only U.S. state with a state-wide Good Samaritan Policy. It is known there as the 911 Good Samaritan Law. Once it was passed, the legislation came into affect June 15, 2007. Many believe that this practical stance will save many lives, in a state with one of the highest rates of drug overdose deaths in the country.
To learn more, please read the 911 Good Samaritan Bill's full text.
[edit] Research
A study published in the International Journal of Drug Policy in 2006 found that emergency calls doubled since Cornell University enacted it's Good Samaritan policy in 2002, while alcohol abuse rates remained constant.