North Carolina Legal Protections Related to Drug Overdose

The Good Samaritan Law in North Carolina protects people who ask for help from 911, the police, or E.M.S. because they or another person is having a drug overdose. People cannot be tried in court for having small amounts of drugs or items used to take or store drugs (drug paraphernalia) if the police find the drugs or drug paraphernalia because the person was asking for help for an overdose. They will also not get in trouble with their parole or probation officer if police find small amounts of drugs or drug paraphernalia on them when they are trying to get help for an overdose. People who seek help for someone who is having an overdose must give their own name to 911 or to the police who come to help.

The Naloxone Access Law in North Carolina also protects people who give naloxone to someone who is having an overdose. If, in good faith, they think the person is having a drug overdose and they use reasonable care to give the naloxone, they are protected from a lawsuit for giving the person naloxone. Reading information on how to give naloxone (like the information here) is one way for them to show that they are using reasonable care.