Summary
"Dealing with the consequences of overdoses is a frequent part of the work and lives of police, paramedics and opiate users according to initial study results. The 911 Good Samaritan overdose law essentially makes the existing law on the streets formally the law on the books. Although arrests during overdose situations are very rare, drug users expressed fear of arrest as a reason they do not call 911 during over-doses. However, drug users now overwhelmingly state that the Good Samaritan law makes them more likely to call 911 in the future.
Despite lingering concerns about possible negative consequences of the new law, such as prosecutions being impeded, no evidence of negative consequences has been found to date. The research team continues to actively study the impacts of the law on arrests, calls to 911 during overdoses, the severity of overdoses, and ultimately the number of non-fatal and fatal overdoses. Additional research is needed to look at the impact of the law on other controlled substances (illegal and prescription drugs) as well as other areas of Washington State.
Given the substantial impact of drug overdoses in both human and economic terms, and the lack of apparent negative consequences of Good Samaritan overdose laws, other states should consider this legislative approach as an integral part of their plan to improve public health."--Page 4.