Good Samaritan

Abstinence-only programs and punishments meant to curb drug use by college students have failed. Colleges across the country are now implementing policies that recognize that their first obligation should be encouraging students to seek help during emergencies, rather than hoping students will abstain and punishing those that do not. Many hesitate to seek medical help for fear of incarceration, receiving a criminal record or fine, and losing eligibility for financial aid as a result of that criminal record. At schools without Good Samaritan policies, students may be subject to suspension, loss of housing, or expulsion if they call for help.

Two new policies this year are changing how Columbia students respond to alcohol and drug overdoses: Columbia’s Responsible Community Action Policy and New York’s 911 Good Samaritan Law, which goes into effect on Sept. 18.

Columbia’s Responsible Community Action Policy encourages students to seek medical attention during an alcohol or drug-related emergency by removing any threat of disciplinary action for possession of alcohol or the use of drugs and alcohol. Beginning this year, if students experience a medical emergency, they, anybody who calls for help on their behalf, anyone else there, and the student organization or group hosting the event, can get help without fear of disciplinary action. Columbia’s new policy emphasizes that people should worry only about their health and the health of their friends.

When individuals fear legal and disciplinary action for seeking help, the results can be deadly. According to the New York Academy of Medicine, 85 percent of overdoses occur in the presence of others. Yet, in half of these situations, no one seeks medical assistance for the overdose victim, and only 14 percent call 911 as their first response.

Columbia isn’t immune to such experiences. When Columbia Students for Sensible Drug Policy approached CCSC last fall to reform campus drug policy, students weighed in on their experiences. Many witnessed blackouts and overdoses and did not know whether to seek medical attention or not. Even a small delay in responding to an overdose can lead to comas, seizures, or death—letting someone “sleep off” a blackout could lead to that person never waking up. Columbia’s new policy and others like it recognize the responsibility to keep students safe through effective drug policies. Columbia also offers its students education and emotional support through Brief Alcohol Screening & Intervention of College Students , its Relapse Prevention Group, Counseling and Psychological Services, and access to Tribeca Twelve, a recovery residence hall run by Hazelden.

College students consume alcohol more frequently, binge drink more often, and use more prescription and illicit drugs than the general population. The National Center on Addiction and Drug Abuse at Columbia University reported that from 1993 to 2005 non-prescribed use of drugs skyrocketed amongst college students: The use of painkillers rose 343 percent, tranquilizers rose 450 percent, sedatives rose 225 percent, and stimulants rose 93 percent.

New York has also reformed its policies for those who seek or receive medical attention for an alcohol or drug overdose. The bi-partisan 911 Good Samaritan Law encourages those experiencing or witnessing a drug or alcohol related emergency to call 911 by enforcing strict limitations on the use of evidence collected while helping patients receive health care for an overdose. The victim and the witness of an overdose can now seek medical care without the fear of prosecution for illicit drugs, paraphernalia, or underage alcohol drinking.

In New York, overdoses are the number one reason for accidental death, even more than automobile accidents. Overdoses are a major problem for the rest of the U.S. as well. In 2007, the most recent study reported, 387,815 people under the age of 20 reported to the emergency room due to drug and alcohol related complications, 38,371 died from drug-induced causes, and 23,199 died from alcohol-related causes.

Instead of forcing New York State and Columbia students to “learn a lesson” should they consume alcohol or drugs and experience an overdose, NYS and Columbia are placing our health and safety first. It is now up to Columbia students to communicate the details of Columbia’s and New York’s new approach to drug and alcohol possession and use during medical emergencies. A Good Samaritan Policy is only effective when students and NYS residents know they can call for medical help. Ensure your friends and neighbors know the overarching message inherent in New York’s and Columbia’s new policy: Call CU-EMS. Do not wait to seek medical help for yourself or your friends because you’re afraid of any legal or disciplinary ramifications.

The author is a junior and PALS scholar at the School of General Studies. She is the vice president of Columbia Students for Sensible Drug Policy.