Great New Law To Help With OD Victims!!!

[DrMuffy]

SANTA FE, New Mexico-Gov. Bill Richardson has signed a measure that would shield people who seek medical assistance for a friend or family member who is experiencing a drug overdose. It is the first state law of its kind in the nation.

SB 200, the 911 Good Samaritan bill, addresses the overwhelming rates of drug-related overdoses in New Mexico by encouraging people to call 911 in the event of an overdose. The bill provides limited immunity from drug possession charges when a witness or victim of a drug-related overdose seeks emergency services for help.

New Mexico has the highest rate of overdose deaths in the nation, and one of the highest per capita heroin-related death rates. One person dies nearly every day of a drug overdose in New Mexico. In 2001, the New Mexico legislature passed a bill that removes criminal and civil liability from people who administer naloxone, an opiate overdose reversal agent. That legislation has led to hundreds of lives saved in the last six years.

“By signing this legislation, the Governor is sending a clear message to New Mexicans: don't be afraid to seek medical help. This is definitely the next step in reducing the overwhelming number of preventable overdose deaths in New Mexico,” said Reena Szczepanski, director of the Drug Policy Alliance New Mexico.

Earlier this week Governor Richardson signed a medical marijuana bill into law making New Mexico the twelfth state to endorse the use of medical cannabis.

Ps: sorry, here's the link http://www.drugpolicy.org/news/press...e/pr030307.cfm

Reputation Comments on this post:

Great post! My friend would have been alive if a law like this were in existance. Great message to help spread the idea ...

[stoneinfocus]

Mexico seems to be cool abput this topic and they ain´t no hypocrits, I think spoem years ago, they were about to quasi legalize all drugs, by decriminalization the possession of it (all of them!), but what a luck, their "friends USA chimed in, to tell them, that his is not possible, because the USA would suffer too much and, anyway, that´d be a bad thing for the USA´s drug-policies.

But what the fuck,... the Burritos have gotten waaaay to exspensive, damn USA -traitors!!

Edit: Ups , was in a hurry and just didn´t get it right ;-)

[zera]

Originally Posted by co-incidence

Mexico seems to be cool abput this topic and they ain´t no hypocrits, I think spoem years ago, they were about to quasi legalize all drugs, by decriminalization the possession of it (all of them!), but what a luck, their "friends USA chimed in, to tell them, that his is not possible, because the USA would suffer too much and, anyway, that´d be a bad thing for the USA´s drug-policies.

But what the fuck,... the Burritos have gotten waaaay to exspensive, damn USA -traitors!!

Just to clarify the story is about New Mexico, which is a state in the southwest US, not Mexico.

But yeah Bill Richardson has balls and seems to listen to his conscience a lot more than other politicians. When he signed the medical marijuana law Bush basically told him he was going to fuck him over if he did so, yet he went forward with it anyway.

[ironmics]

This is a very good law I imagine it spreading to the more liberal states(west coast) very quickly. It reminds me of watching Traffic when the kids dump their friend on the hospital steps, and that it will hopefully be something of the past.

[radiometer]

http://www.drugpolicy.org/news/press...e/pr040407.cfm


Please provide a LINK for news stories.

I think I'm going to start giving negative rep points soon for this.

[DrMuffy]

Yeah I am a strong supporter of this law because it encourages kids to save their friends lives when they OD. Its not like the bill says drugs are totally legal and encourages young kids to do drugs (which was the argument the opposers of the bill said).
SWIdr lives in New Mexico, actually in the capitol and has met Mr. Richarson a few times in person. His concepts are great and he looks at problems from all the different points of views before he even makes his decission (sp?). He also (as mentioned aboved) just signed and basically created the medical marijuana bill, which would halp alot of people in need of marijuana for medicinal purposes. He is actually planning to run in the 2008 presidential race. He's definatly got my vote, but still looks like the underdog...

[IkBenDeMan]

If this law were in existance in California, my friend would have been alive today.

[Woodman]

'Bout fuckin' time!

Bill Richardson (former CIA Director) signed the bill into law, but I what moron had the good sense (or stroke of genius -if you're a moron) to introduce the bill in the first place.

[DrMuffy]

^^^^^^^
A group called "Drug Policy Alliance", which is a neutral group when it comes to "the war on drugs". Their main focus is harm reduction. They introduce bills like this in several different states, try to help those in need when it comes to drugs/drug laws, and try to inform people the truth about drugs (wether it be good or bad). Here is their site: http://www.drugpolicy.org/homepage.cfm

[D.U.M.B]

Thats a great law as it will defiantly reduce OD deaths as many people would never call for assistance for fear of getting into trouble

[fnord]

so what does this bill do?in swims area if you call in an od the cops will come to your house search it/you, and charge you if the guy dies.does it cover all this?swims friends have a rule if this happens in any of our houses we take any drugs out of thier pockets(so they dont get charged)bring the poor fellow out side after calling in saying some random guy had a "heart attack"(it gets a quicker response then a person passed out on the sidewalk)and wait there/give rescue breathing/cpr/whatever untill the paramedics arrive.could someone give me the details of the law?how/what does it protect you from?

[DrMuffy]

Originally Posted by fnord

so what does this bill do?in swims area if you call in an od the cops will come to your house search it/you, and charge you if the guy dies.does it cover all this?swims friends have a rule if this happens in any of our houses we take any drugs out of thier pockets(so they dont get charged)bring the poor fellow out side after calling in saying some random guy had a "heart attack"(it gets a quicker response then a person passed out on the sidewalk)and wait there/give rescue breathing/cpr/whatever untill the paramedics arrive.could someone give me the details of the law?how/what does it protect you from?

This part of the bill deals with SWIY's question: "The act of seeking medical assistance for someone who is experiencing a drug-related overdose may be
used as a mitigating factor in a criminal prosecution pursuant to the Controlled Substances Act."

[fnord]

so by "mitigating factor" that means that swim could still get charged,so what exactly does this law do?or is swim missing something blatenly obvious?

[DrMuffy]

Originally Posted by fnord

so by "mitigating factor" that means that swim could still get charged,so what exactly does this law do?or is swim missing something blatenly obvious?

True, the law could get past the loophole the bill created. But SWIdr doesn't think the government would like a story on "how the State prosecutes teen (who got in trouble because he was trying to SAVE HIS FRIENDS LIFE)". The press would have a field day with a case like this, and all state cases are "open to the public", so they couldn't hide a case like this even if they tried. The government may look smart in this bill by using it only as a "mitigating factor", but they would be even smarter if they don't even bother with the hundreds of small cases.
This bill will save alot of live becuse the Espanola Valley is the Heroin OD (Death) capital of the world. Not to mention it might just help with the other OD's that happen everyday all throughout the state. SWIdr is just glad and actually trusts the government's intelligence on this subject, (which is why he is just trying to be the devil's advocate).

[Buddah]

Swim thinks it is a wonderful law!