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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2013 - 2014
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | March 12, 2013 10:49 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Ron Miller |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act |
| According to the Center for Disease Control, drug-related deaths have roughly doubled during the period of the late 1990s through 2006. Additionally, in sixteen states - - including Pennsylvania - - drug-related deaths have overtaken the number of deaths resulting from traffic accidents. One reason that an individual might not receive medical intervention is the fear of being caught with illegal drugs. Unlike the offense of underage drinking, there is no immunity from prosecution if an individual is attempting to summon emergency medical assistance for someone suffering from a drug overdose. My legislation is very similar to Act 66 of 2011, which established immunity from prosecution for the offense of underage drinking if the person summoned emergency medical assistance for another. The bill I will introduce borrows the same language regarding immunity - - that the person must place a call to 911 in good faith and report that another person is in need of immediate medical attention to prevent death or serious bodily injury, that the person provides his own name to the 911 operator and that the person remains on the scene until emergency medical personnel arrives - - and places it in the context of the Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act. Immunity would not apply if: (1) the person supplied the illegal drugs causing harm to another; (2) the person violated any provision of the act relating to manufacturing a controlled substance; or (3) the person violated any provision of the act related to delivery or possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance. |
Introduced as HB1147