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

Wallet-size cards with the above information are available from Superior Points for dissemination. Please call (807) 621-7862 to order yours.

Good Samaritan Law wallet cards are available through Superior Points

For Further Information

Call the Superior Points program: (807) 621-7862 or (807) 621-7861 or email harm.reduction@tbdhu.com

or toll-free: 1-888-294-6630

External Links

About the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act

Law Society of Ontario Referral Service