Good Samaritan Laws

In 2013 North Carolina passed SB20 — also known as the “911 Good Samaritan and Naloxone Access Bill”. Since the law passed one year ago, almost 600 lives have been saved with the help of the North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition (NCHRC) and its community-based Overdose Prevention Program (OPP). The OPP provides free overdose reversal kits and training to those likely to experience or witness an overdose.
The law states that individuals who experience a drug overdose or persons who witness an overdose and seek help for the victim can no longer be prosecuted for possession of small amounts of drugs, paraphernalia, or underage drinking. The purpose of the law is to remove the fear of criminal repercussions for calling 911 to report an overdose, and to instead focus on efforts on getting help to the victim.
The Naloxone Access portion of the bill removes civil liabilities from doctors who prescribe the drug and bystanders who administer the opiate antidote which reverses drug overdose from opiates. The bill also allows NCHRC and other community-based organizations to dispense Narcan under the guidance of a medical provider.
This law is also supported by NC Board of Medicine and is mission to protect the people of North Carolina.
If you or someone you know would benefit from the work of the NCHRC and the OPP, please visit https://www.nchrc.org/ for more information.