Have your say: Legal protections for people seeking help
Parliament is considering a 'Good Samaritan' law change that would provide legal protection for people seeking help in the event of an overdose or serious drug harm.
The Drug Overdose (Assistance Protection) Legislation Bill is currently being considered by the Health Committee - submissions have now closed. We'll provide updates as the Bill progresses.
What the Bill would do
The Drug Overdose (Assistance Protection) Legislation Bill makes one simple change: if you call 111 because someone is overdosing or having a serious bad reaction to drugs, you can't be prosecuted for low-level drug offences like personal possession, having a pipe or other utensils, or sharing drugs socially with a small group of friends.
This legal protection covers the person overdosing, the person who calls for help, and anyone else at the scene who stays to help. It also means people on bail or parole won't breach their drug or alcohol conditions just by being there.
The Bill doesn't legalise drug use. Our existing drug laws still apply the rest of the time. It also doesn't protect anyone from charges for more serious or violent offences, and the caller has to be acting in good faith.
Why it's important
Almost three people die each week from accidental overdose in Aotearoa. In many of these cases, coroners have found that people hesitated to call for help because they were scared of getting themselves or their friends in trouble with the law.
In a survey we ran last year, 39.6% of people at risk of drug harm told us they'd be worried about calling 111 if someone was having a bad reaction to drugs.
Most overdoses are witnessed by someone who knows the person. Small delays in calling for help can be the difference between life and death. Overseas, similar laws (sometimes called Good Samaritan laws) have reduced opioid overdose deaths by 10–15%. In Aotearoa that could mean 15-23 lives saved every year.
This Bill would allow us to send a clear message to anyone who uses drugs and the people around them - if something goes wrong, call for help.
More resources
Want to find out more about the Bill and why it's important?
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