The Good Samaritan is a staple figure in Christian belief, that one man who had compassion to help a troubled fellow man lying on the wayside. In this day and age, this same symbolism is being invoked, in the hopes of saving troubled lives due to drug abuse.
In a feature on Newsweek early this month, recommendations given by researchers from Roosevelt University in as far as medical care for heroin overdoses were concerned were discussed. The study determined that Chicago had the highest number of emergency room visits related to heroin; those who were able to make to emergency rooms and constituted this statistic, however, are the lucky ones.
The feature shared stories about friends leaving their friends – addicts and users all – who overdose on heroin to die. Some are left in bedrooms and bathrooms as they OD, their bodies dumped and disposed of unceremoniously. This choice is made so as to stay away from prosecution, which is what both the victim and the one who calls for help will face.
In most states, a friend who dials 911 or takes the time to bring a friend who has OD’d to a hospital can be prosecuted for use, possession and distribution. Meghan Ralston, of the Drug Policy Alliance, shared: “That sends a chilling, disturbing message to all people who will one day witness an overdose… People who use drugs tend to be highly aware that they can be arrested for drug possession at any time, under any circumstance.”
It is for this reason that there is a push towards what are being termed as “Good Samaritan Laws,” which essentially calls for the granting of limited immunity from prosecution for drug users who seek help for a companion during an overdose. There are those, however, who oppose these laws, saying that it is tantamount to condoning drug dealers.
Tags: drug overdose, good samaritan laws, heroin death, heroin overdose
