Council of the District of Columbia Approves Legislation that Would Help Prevent Drug Overdose Deaths

Press Release November 14, 2012
Media Contact

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Contact: Tony Newman 646-335-5384 or Grant Smith 202-669-6573</p>

Today, the Council of the District of Columbia unanimously approved the Good Samaritan Overdose Prevention Amendment Act of 2012 (#B19-754), sponsored by Councilmember Phil Mendelson (D-Chairman) and Councilmember Tommy Wells (D-Ward 6), which provides limited legal protection for those who witness or experience a drug overdose and summon medical assistance.  The legislation now goes before the Mayor of the District of Columbia, Vincent C. Gray. A coalition comprised of the Drug Policy Alliance, American Civil Liberties Union of the Nation's Capital, Bread for the City, HIPS, students, parents and advocates urges Mayor Gray to sign the legislation into law.

"The District has the highest rate of drug use in the nation, so residents are especially at risk of experiencing a life-threatening overdose, and hundreds of residents have been lost in recent years,” said Grant Smith, federal policy coordinator with the Drug Policy Alliance.  The majority of overdose victims do not actually die until several hours after they have taken a drug and most of these deaths occur in the presence of others, meaning that there is both time and opportunity to summon medical assistance.  Unfortunately, fear of arrest and prosecution often prevents people who are in a position to help from calling 911.  As a result, help is sought in only half of all overdose emergencies.  The Good Samaritan Overdose Prevention Amendment Act would specify that drug possession and similar minor offenses are not crimes when a witness calls 911 in an overdose emergency.

"A Good Samaritan law in Washington, D.C. will clarify that calling 911 to try to save a life should never be a crime and encourage residents to get help for people who urgently need it," said Grant Smith, federal policy coordinator with the Drug Policy Alliance.  “The Drug Policy Alliance thanks Chairman Mendelson and Councilmember Wells for sponsoring this legislation, applauds the Council of the District of Columbia for passing this life saving legislation, and urges Mayor Gray to sign the bill into law.”

Ten states (California, Connecticut, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island and Washington State) have already enacted Good Samaritan laws for preventing fatal drug overdoses. Nationally, drug overdose rates have tripled since 1990, and increased more than 140 percent between 2000 and 2009. In recent years, cocaine has been the lead cause of overdose death in D.C., followed by heroin and other opiates. District of Columbia Medical Examiner data indicate that African American residents are at greatest risk of experiencing a fatal overdose.

A young woman holds a sign that says "End the Drug War."

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