Witness an Overdose? The Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act

Under Canada’s Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act, if you seek medical help for yourself or for someone else who has overdosed, neither of you will be charged for possessing or using drugs, nor will anyone else at the scene.

 

Protection from the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act

The law DOES provide protection against charges for: The law DOES NOT provide protection against charges for:
  • Possessing drugs for your own use
  • Selling illegal drugs (trafficking): Police may suspect this if you have a large amount of drugs, cash or items like scales, baggies and debt lists
  • Violating conditions of your parole, bail, probation or conditional sentence for a simple drug possession charge
  • Offences other than drug possession

 
  • Any outstanding arrest warrants

 
  • Violating conditions of your parole, bail, probation or conditional sentence for an offence that is not simple possession.

Police may not always know about the law’s protections. If you need legal help, call 1 (800) 668-8258 (toll-free) for Legal Aid Ontario or 1 (855) 947-5255 (toll-free) for Law Society Referral Service, also online at Law Society of Ontario Referral Service.

 

Wallet-Size Cards

The following wallet-sized card can be downloaded and printed for easy reference. 

Good Samaritan Law wallet cards
Produced by the Law Foundation of Ontario and the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network. 

 

For Further Information

Contact the Superior Points program: (807) 621-7861

or toll-free: 1-888-294-6630

or email harm.reduction@tbdhu.com

External Links
About the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act
Law Society of Ontario Referral Service
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