Current Protections
Good Samaritan laws are intended to protect people who provide assistance to someone who is ill or incapacitated. North Carolina’s current Good Samaritan law provides only limited protection to people seeking medical help during an overdose or who are experiencing an overdose themselves. We must broaden our law to save lives.
Current Good Samaritan Law Provisions and Proposed Changes
Our current Good Samaritan law has the right intention however it is one of the most limited in the country in terms of protection. We have got to eliminate the fear of calling through broader protection to save lives.
The table below compares the current Good Samaritan law provisions and the proposed enhancements.
Protected persons
Protected substances
Criminal penalty protection
Who can call for help?
Campus security protection
Current Good Samaritan Law
Only the caller and the person possibly overdosing are protected
A protected person has immunity for a limited set of substances at limited weights, including heroin and cocaine but not fentanyl and methamphetamine."
A protected person cannot be prosecuted.
Anyone at the scene can call for another person who is possibly overdosing
The law does not cover protecting students calling Campus Security
Proposed Changes
Everyone at the scene is protected
A protected person has immunity possession of any drug with no exceptions at limited weight.
A protected person cannot be arrested, charged or prosecuted.
Anyone at the scene can call for another person who is possibly overdosing.The person overdosing can also call for themself and be protected
The law includes protecting students when calling Campus Security
