(c) (1) First aid or other forms of medical assistance to a person who has suffered a drug overdose may be used as a mitigating circumstance in a prosecution for which immunity is not granted under clause (b). Sullivan, an attorney for the survivors, said naloxone is crucial to preventing deaths. He said that when an overdose occurs, you want naloxone to be present and everyone nearby knows how to use it. “I was resuscitated with naloxone,” Sullivan said. The overdose I experienced was not an addiction, but a depression. It was a suicide attempt, and part of the reason I was able to do it was because there were prescription opioids in my house,” Sullivan said. Overdoses can be fatal if they cause the victim`s central nervous and respiratory symptoms to stop functioning. If you notice warning signs of a drug overdose, it can help a loved one stay calm and calm. After assessing symptoms and noticing problems such as shallow breathing, precise pupils, blue lips and lack of responsiveness, move the person to the recovery position and call 911 immediately. While a near-death experience like a drug overdose can be scary, it could be an opportunity to convince someone you care about to participate in an addiction treatment program. To communicate the seriousness of the situation, you can explain the frightening symptoms you observed while under the influence of drugs and in danger of losing their lives.
(b) A person who requests in good faith medical assistance for a person who is a victim of a drug overdose or who is believed to be suffering from a drug overdose may not be arrested, charged or prosecuted for a drug-related offence if the evidence of arrest, charge or prosecution for the drug-related offence results from the use of such medical assistance. A person suffering from a drug overdose who requests medical assistance in good faith or is the subject of a request for medical assistance may not be arrested, charged or prosecuted for a drug-related offence if the evidence of the arrest, charge or prosecution of the drug offence results from the use of such medical assistance. This immunity from arrest, charge or prosecution does not apply to a person who overdoses on drugs until the first drug overdose. Such a person should also not be subject to the following conditions if they are related to seeking medical help: “We have up to 10 overdose deaths in our county, which is a huge increase,” Lt. Heflin said. Tennessee`s Good Samaritan Law also applies to people who respond to a drug overdose. About 130 Americans die from accidental overdoses every day, but most of these deaths are preventable if the victim is surrounded by people who know how to react and act quickly. The law protects people if they do overdose or are believed to have overdosed.
An overdose is defined as an acute condition believed to be related to the use, inhalation, ingestion or injection of a controlled substance, which may include some of the following symptoms: As the opioid epidemic continues to plague the country, legislators are increasingly aware of the risks of drugs and criminalizing drug-related activities. While it`s possible to deal with drug claims after an overdose in Tennessee, there is a Good Samaritan Act that can provide relief to those seeking medical help to help someone who is overdosing, or even the person going through the overdose process. However, it is important to understand the nuances of this law so that you know when it can apply and what protection it provides. (2) “drug overdose” means an acute condition, including, but not limited to, extreme physical illness, decreased level of consciousness, respiratory depression, coma, mania or death, resulting from the use or use of a controlled substance or any other inhaled substance, ingested, injected or otherwise introduced into the body by a person in need that a reasonable person would suspect is the result of the use or the use of a controlled substance or other substance by the desperate person; Immunity from prosecution only applies if the person overdosed or bystander seeks 911 assistance, contacts a poison control centre or law enforcement agencies, or provides care while waiting for help.
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