A bill providing legal immunity from minor drug offenses for those reporting overdoses was signed into law as Act 139 by Gov. Tom Corbett on Sept. 24, says State Rep. Jim Cox (R-129)
It also grants immunity to the overdose victim.
The law was introduced as SB 1164 in November 2013 by Pennsylvania Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R-9)was passed by the Pennsylvania House, Sept. 24 and signed into law as Act 139 by Gov. Corbett on Sept. 30.
“This fear of prosecution prevents many who need emergency assistance from getting help, and that can mean the difference between life and death,” Cox said.T”he new law also makes the potentially life-saving opioid overdose reversal drug, naloxone, available to emergency services personnel, law enforcement and even family or friends of someone who is at risk of an opioid overdose.”
Over the past five years, heroin and opioid abuse has claimed the lives of nearly 3,000 Pennsylvanian, Cox said. One in four families across the Commonwealth will be affected by opioid abuse.
“If you or someone you know needs assistance overcoming addiction, you can visit the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs website, and find a variety of statewide treatment options,” Cox said.
