By Jenny Johnson
Online Managing Edior
|The 911 Good Samaritan law was passed in Illinois this year encouraging people that witness an overdose to call 911 without fear of arrest for minor drug law violations.
Social science teacher Jim Adair brings awareness to students by making videos to play on the announcements August 30 and 31 .
“Students don’t know they can call for help and possibly save a life, without getting in trouble by the law,” Adair said.
According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, Every day, 87 people die as a result of unintentional poisoning; another 2,277 are treated in hospitals.
“If Prospect can walk away with ‘if I call 911, I will not get busted,’ then maybe they could save somebody’s life,” Adair said.
States that have also passed the 911 Good Samaritan law include New Mexico, Washington, Colorado, New York, Florida, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut.
Dozens of organizations all over the world will be participating in the first International Overdose Awareness Day on August 31.
“There is help here at school if you have a drug problem,” Adair said. “Anyone is willing to help or willing to get you help.”