Pubdate: Sun, 17 Mar 2013
Source: Dallas Morning News (TX)
Copyright: 2013 The Dallas Morning News, Inc.
Contact: http://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/send-a-letter/
Website: http://www.dallasnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/117
Author: Joy Strickland

EXPAND LIFELINE LAW

Texas has been compassionate in passing the "911 lifeline law" to 
encourage people under 21 to call for help if they suspect someone is 
suffering from alcohol poisoning. I commend Julia and Scott Starkey 
for trying to make people aware of this law in the face of their own 
unimaginable tragedy.

Rep. Eric Johnson has introduced HB1743 to extend protection to 
someone who tries to save the life of a person who has overdosed on 
another drug.

Several states have similar laws. Washington passed its "Good 
Samaritan" law in 2010. Two years later the University of Washington 
conducted a study of the results. It found that police likely would 
not have made an arrest when someone called for help regardless of 
the law. However, 88 percent of opiate users would be more likely to 
call 911 in an overdose situation when they knew the law protected them.

Young people should never die because their friends are afraid to 
call for help.

Joy Strickland, Dallas, founder and CEO of Mothers Against Teen Violence
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom