The Golden Rule committee met Tuesday to discuss UCF and the Good Samaritan law.
Florida law states: “A person who seeks medical assistance for an individual experiencing a drug-related overdose may not be charged, prosecuted, or penalized.” This law was passed in memory of Kristen L. Jackson, who died of a prescription drug overdose in January 2012, when friends feared calling 911, and John M. Perkins Jr., who was killed by a heroin overdose in May 2011.
Currently students may refrain from reporting overdoses, worried they will face punishment. Unreported overdoses have many times led to fatalities.
Drug overdoses have become a leading cause of accidental death in the United States. In Florida, UF, FSU, UM, USF, all follow the Good Samaritan laws. Leaving UCF to decide if they are ready to be the next University to jump on board.
Teresa Pugliese the founder of Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) along with the members of the organization are fighting to bring in a program for drugs that mirrors the Alcohol Emergency Procedure already here at the University.
This program states: “Students who seek medical assistance on behalf of another intoxicated student may be exempt from disciplinary action for violations of the Rules of Conduct Section 11 subsections a, b & c. However, exemption for other Rule of Conduct violations may not be granted.” The program took seven years for UCF to implement.
The committee unanimously voted to back the SSDP, but say they will not be able to pass a program by the end of this semester, and there are still a lot of details to be worked out.
By Bridgette Matter
