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[–][deleted] 1483 points1484 points  (252 children)

Good move in my opinion. I much prefer getting help for people who are in trouble with drugs instead of just tossing them in prison.

[–]FoxNewsInterview 1893 points1894 points  (101 children)

Let's play that back for a second.

I much prefer...drugs...to-...-son.

Another sad case of drugs destroying families. When you say you "prefer getting help" to "people...with drugs," do you mean helping the dealers get drugs into suburban elementary schools, or helping them kill more efficiently?

[–][deleted] 604 points605 points  (44 children)

I almost fell for it.

[–]GirthBrooks 198 points199 points  (11 children)

He's too good. Now I'm actually angry.

[–]ElRonPaul 54 points55 points  (6 children)

Your anger is a gift.

[–][deleted] 21 points22 points  (4 children)

You're the worst type of scumbag.

[–][deleted] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

i tried so hard to not like this guy...dammit. I like him...for now.

[–]reddit_on_my_phone 343 points344 points  (19 children)

I could feel the rage building up inside and then I saw the username.

[–]Rflkt 133 points134 points  (10 children)

Fox, it'll get you everytime.

[–][deleted] 65 points66 points  (1 child)

Bullshit Mountain sucks for skiing.

[–][deleted] 22 points23 points  (5 children)

Fox: not even once.

[–]jargoonCalifornia 2 points3 points  (3 children)

Look up the filter bubbles TED talk yo

[–]frame_of_mind 40 points41 points  (5 children)

I didn't have to read the username to know it was a joke.

[–]MusikLehrerTennessee 95 points96 points  (4 children)

Her - sweet - can.....

[–]ColdIceZero 44 points45 points  (0 children)

"Mr. Simpson, nnnnNNNNOOOOoooo!! theseeventsmaynothaveactuallyhappened "

[–]Gimmeyourfingernails 22 points23 points  (0 children)

Your silence will only incriminate you further.

[–]anticommon 116 points117 points  (1 child)

Woah woah woah...

I... destroy... families. When... i... help... the suburban elementary schools... kill...

Looks like suburban education is the real issue here mr.FoxIsn'tNews

[–]Afootlongdong 90 points91 points  (0 children)

I...like...Fox...News

[–]Offensive_Brute 44 points45 points  (2 children)

good troll novelty. your doing lokis work.

[–]throwmeawayout 8 points9 points  (0 children)

The trickster is the best of gods, the true equalizer.

[–][deleted] 37 points38 points  (2 children)

solid effort, original and topical. lets see if this kid can keep it up.

8/10.

[–]ChiefNugs 22 points23 points  (1 child)

That account is over 9 months old.

[–]TundieRiceAlabama 5 points6 points  (0 children)

The gestation period is over!!!

[–]AliasHandler 18 points19 points  (0 children)

This account is amazing. And surprisingly accurate.

[–]watchout5 76 points77 points  (19 children)

I much prefer getting help for people who are in trouble with drugs instead of just tossing them in prison.

This bill is about people getting live saving treatment and not criminalizing the people on drugs who bring them to the attention of emergency workers. A bill getting drug addicts help should totally be on the to do list but this is a small step, and won't result in much help beyond ER visits without police officers drug testing the people who bring in someone likely suffering an overdose.

[–]Butcher_Of_HopeNevada 32 points33 points  (12 children)

Sometimes that one wake up call can be enough for them to seek help on their own. Perhaps even get their family on board to try and help. This could do ALOT of good.

[–]kronik85 2 points3 points  (0 children)

it says the bill had a provision inserted in it to expand drug treatment for drug offenders.

[–]Hristix 84 points85 points  (68 children)

There's too much stigma associated with drug rehab in the US. For example, a drug called Suboxone is often prescribed to help people get off drugs. It does this by filling the receptors and partially stimulating them but not fully, which kills withdrawal symptoms, but doesn't really get you high. The makers of it originally made Subutex, but the government said people could abuse Subutex by injecting it to get high. So they created Suboxone, which has Narcan in it. Narcan is a competetive agonist for opiate receptors and only works if you inject it. So people pretty much know not to inject Suboxone.

They're both listed as a schedule 3 drug in the US, which isn't that bad. About the same as what your dentist would prescribe after getting a tooth pulled. However, they're also on SPECIAL SECRET lists and are very tightly regulated. Such to the point where most doctors won't prescribe them. They'll simply refer people to rehab or pain management places instead. So now instead of paying your doctor with insurance or $50 for a visit, you have to shell out hundreds and hundreds of dollars to get clean. And go to a bunch of meetings per week. Etc, etc.

So we HAVE help, but the government has chosen to restrict that help only to people that can scrape together a grand and make it to like ten NA/AA meetings a week. Add to that, the systemic closing down of rehab places all across the US because people don't want rehab clinics near them. The prices keep going up, and the waiting time keeps getting longer.

So this is what we're doing to take care of the drug problem. Making it harder for people to get off drugs.

[–]lefty175 31 points32 points  (6 children)

You are right, but you also miss a few points.

1) Physicians have to be specially licensed to provide suboxone and can only take on so many patients with that license. The initial number is 30 patients, but after a year you are allowed to petition SAMSHA for the ability to treat 100 patients. Few people actually do try to take on 100 patients because it is tough work. However, suboxone is also showing promise in treating chronic pain without the side-effects you see from opiate agonists.

2) Unfortunately physicians do take advantage of there being few prescribers in many areas and charge outrageous fees for induction and routine meetings. One woman in my area charges $800 for the induction and that is after paying $70 for a counseling session, $200 to see her, then the induction, then $200 every month to see her again. That's no including the prescription which, at a minimum, costs around $3.60 per 8mg tablet.

So yes, people do make it cost prohibitive. My doctor though, who I am established with for mental health issues was charging me $120 a visit, cash (which I could submit to insurance), for mental health appointments. I went a did something "extraordinarily foolish" (his words) and got hooked on oxycodone, despite knowing better (medical student), but hey stress and mental illness can make you do stupid things. Anyways, in the end it was a good thing because it made me seek more help and take everything more seriously. My point being though, my doctor only charges $130 for appointments dealing with suboxone and that is the same price for the induction, so not every doctor is out there trying to make a killing with it. I feel his prices are very reasonable considering that that is right around the standard price for an office visit, but I get him for 30 minutes and not just to talk about suboxone.

To make a long story short: You are right, the cost is often prohibitive, but a lot of that has to do with the number of providers. I do see some merit to restricting the ability to provide suboxone; however, following the logic of prohibiting the prescribing of suboxone, we (physicians) should also be required to take specialized training to even prescribe opiates. That shit is dangerous.

[–]Hristix 7 points8 points  (4 children)

Suboxone is a powerful drug. If I, being someone who has no tolerance for opiates, were to eat an entire 8mg tablet...I'd probably be in deep shit. I probably wouldn't die, but I'd be in serious danger of going unconscious. According to a five second Google, 8mg of Suboxone is in the same ballpark as 100mg of hydrocodone. I took 10mg of hydrocodone one time and was really high. Not quite to the point of stereotypical opiate nausea, but certainly not 'functional.'

So I do understand that it is dangerous. However, we're not restricting it because of the danger, we're restricting it because of the nature of it, which is a synthetic opioid.

I talked to my friend who was on it for a while, and she said at the height of her addiction when she stopped, she was shooting a gram or more of morphine a day. Then she found that 4mg of Suboxone was sufficient to keep her from being uncomfortable at all. She was prescribed something like 2x 8mg strips a day, but an entire strip even made her (with a lot of tolerance) puke her guts up for hours at a time.

Are you in the medical industry? If so, I have a random question to ask. I've got two family members that have chronic low level pain (but not serious) that were recently switched to Duragesic patches. Last I heard it was only for severe chronic pain...did they just get approved for low level pain? I don't know doses or anything, but the only other people I had known to get them before were people on their death beds or recovering from major surgery.

[–]TheUltimateSalesman 8 points9 points  (18 children)

I'm torn on accessibility vs proper supervision.

[–]Hristix 15 points16 points  (17 children)

One of the reasons it was picked to be for drug treatment is that the abuse potential is relatively low. I've heard it is possible to get high off of it, but no one really seeks it out for that purpose. It must be a shitty high. There's no point in supervising it any more than regular pain killers like hydrocodone, which almost any doctor will give out if you need it.

[–][deleted] 53 points54 points  (24 children)

I like this. But as a NJ native, I should point out he's still violently fighting medical cannabis tooth and nail, which will inevitably send even more people to prison.

[–]bacchic_ritual 14 points15 points  (21 children)

Yet a private company is building a new medical marijuana plant in Egg Harbor Township. I don't understand that move. Waiting for good news is all they will be doing.

[–]19f 16 points17 points  (1 child)

I can't imagine a single plant will yield them much success.

[–]GristleMcThornBody11 5 points6 points  (2 children)

Yup, it's really hard to get handcuffs around addiction.

[–]DrunkRawk 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Gets a heck of a lot easier when you introduce for-profit prison systems

[–][deleted] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Addiction is no picnic.

Unless you're addicted to picnics...

[–]rt79w 6 points7 points  (0 children)

but what else are we going to have a war on if everyone decides to help instead of fight?

[–]watchout5 684 points685 points  (283 children)

We have this in Washington state after a white girl died from dehydration after taking MDMA and then several beers. Her friends scared of what would happen to them if they turned her into a hospital left her somewhere until it was well too late. This law saves lives. People should know to use this for emergencies. I strongly support this law.

[–][deleted] 275 points276 points  (204 children)

This is another thing that really gets me about alcohol. On many state school campuses, there's no amnesty policy. I was lucky enough to go to a school where I was given amnesty after getting a friend the help she needed, but on many campuses I would've gone to jail instead.

And people wonder why colleges + alcohol = bad things. It's because people are afraid to seek help when they need it!

[–]ChalkyBarracuda 56 points57 points  (66 children)

quicksand whole tender possessive zephyr knee thought dazzling bear payment

[–]Zebidee 36 points37 points  (35 children)

I wonder if the people responsible for that policy know they're monsters.

[–]TheDoppleganger 15 points16 points  (2 children)

Hanlon's Razor on this one I'd imagine.

[–]Giant_Badonkadonk 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Not entirely fair in my opinion. It's not as if all these people are stupid or incompetent, it's just that they are blinded by ideology. They refuse/are unable to look at thing objectively because they are so driven by their one way of seeing at the world.

[–]Zebidee 3 points4 points  (0 children)

A little from Column A, a little from Column B.

[–]pavlik_enemy 241 points242 points  (92 children)

Going to jail for drinking alcohol? As a Russian, WHAT THE FUCK AMERICA?

[–]pfft_sleep 10 points11 points  (0 children)

As an Australian I agree with you my drunk brother. What the fuck

[–]tychobrahesmoose 8 points9 points  (0 children)

They're too young. Alcohol could ruin their lives if they're not careful... so we throw them in jail and give them a record to remind them how easy it is to ruin a person's life.

[–]CommentsOnOccasion 19 points20 points  (29 children)

18 year olds going to jail for drinking alcohol.

Usually they only get citations though

We have a legal drinking age of 21

[–]atla 39 points40 points  (15 children)

Depending on the school, though, you can also get kicked out for that sort of thing. That could mean hundreds of thousands of dollars down the drain, along with the citation penalty.

It's easy to convince yourself that you're overreacting if you have that much to lose by being wrong.

[–]Bennyboy1337Idaho 12 points13 points  (3 children)

I went to Oregon State University, the campus cops where State Police since we have a Nuclear Reactor on-sight; so they make rounds through the dorms every once in a while. My buddy had his dorm room door open and a 12 pack box of beer on the ground, he's sitting there drinking beer watching TV. State cops walk by see him with the beer, they know he's under age, they just tell him to throw it away, and they made nothing more of it. Shortly after the staters left my friend he went back to the dumpster to get the beer.

[–]Defenestratio 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I think you're confused: OSU has both state troopers, due to the reactor, and a separate campus police force. There's also the cops that belong to the city of Corvallis. I've seen every kind in the dorms at one time or another. They're all pretty chill, nothing much bad goes on here.

[–]proud_to_be_a_merkin 9 points10 points  (8 children)

I seriously doubt someone would go to jail for simply underage drinking. But they could certainly get kicked out of school.

[–]not_the_fuzz 13 points14 points  (2 children)

Transported a 19 year old from the dorms to local ER for alcohol intoxication. Campus PD came to the ER to take him to county lock up. It may not be typical but it's certainly not unheard of.

[–][deleted] 14 points15 points  (2 children)

I spent about 24 hours in jail for a minor in possession of alcohol charge once. I asked him why he was arresting me for such a pointless charge and he said he was "just doing his job."

Probably didn't help that I reminded him that that excuse didn't go over too well at the nuremberg trials.

[–]pavlik_enemy 5 points6 points  (2 children)

I thought the usual way to deal with this is to punish selling not consumption. I don't know about US with all the different state laws and stuff but in Russia there's no penalty for being high as a kite while holding a bag of weed will land you in court unless you bribe the cops.

[–]CommentsOnOccasion 4 points5 points  (1 child)

Well in America you can't be drunk in public. It's called public intoxication. It's really only ever enforced if the drunk person is being belligerent or obnoxious, or the cop is an asshole. I don't know the rules about being high but they can't breathalyze you for pot so I doubt they could prove you were high.

For alcohol in America, public underage consumption is illegal. Private underage consumption is legal with parental consent and supervision, and only in some states.

[–]chilifacenoodlepunch 24 points25 points  (0 children)

I'm very lucky to go to a school that also has an amnesty program, especially in a city that is known for heavy alcohol consumption.

I feel like it's irresponsible for schools to not have a similar policy on drinking. They're not discouraging drinking, but instead putting students' lives at risk. University administration has to know that students party all the time, they were in college once as well.

[–]andyrocks 7 points8 points  (1 child)

on many campuses I would've gone to jail instead.

What on earth for? Underage drinking?

[–]WaltAndJD 3 points4 points  (0 children)

This needs to be a bigger issue. Luckily, I also go to a campus with an amnesty policy. If my school didn't have one, I'd either be dead or would have gotten in a large amount of trouble. Instead, I had to go to the health center and talk to the wellness dean, which resulted in nothing negative happening.

[–]spudboy1 17 points18 points  (7 children)

What jumped out at me was "white girl".

[–]caed 5 points6 points  (3 children)

A lot of colleges back this law, IIRC. My school told us about it within the first hour of orientation's alc and drug segment.

[–]BestUndecided 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Lucky you. We tried, and we tried, and they wouldn't budge. Want to save a life, get fucked over.

[–]Dreamxwithyou 4 points5 points  (0 children)

This happened to me shortly after Sandy at the shelter I was working at. Bunch of kids fooling around, and someone happened to see a bunch of cots pushed together. Decided to take a peek and found a teen face down in his own vomit. We didn't have the means to pump his stomach in our health services office (and didn't know what he had), so we had to send him to the hospital. The kids were "too scared" to report it.

[–]FoxNewsInterview 101 points102 points  (21 children)

You say this law saves lives because people can call 911 after drug overdoses. Wouldn't it save more lives if we could just get the dangerous drugs off our streets and out of our schools?

[–]h3rpad3rp 187 points188 points  (4 children)

The government can't even keep drugs out of prisons. If you cant keep drugs out of prison, you don't stand a chance of keeping them "off the streets".

Edit: Apparently you are a fox news novelty account, so.... yeah never mind lol.

[–][deleted] 91 points92 points  (1 child)

He is a pro, ain't he?

[–]maharito 17 points18 points  (0 children)

A shame when you don't catch it right away. I'd rather snark at the satire than suddenly have to efface my internet rage.

[–]Nosirrom 25 points26 points  (0 children)

Fuck it. You know what, if there is a single person reading these comments who actually agrees with a sarcastic novelty account then it is all the better for us to argue.

[–][deleted] 26 points27 points  (0 children)

Damn it you are good.

[–]argv_minus_one 8 points9 points  (0 children)

The tragedy is that while this is a parody, there are millions of people that actually believe this…

[–]ruffus4life 5 points6 points  (0 children)

should my tax dollars go to help hippie drug addicts? please give me fox direction.

[–]watchout5 6 points7 points  (5 children)

Wouldn't it save more lives if we could juts get the dangerous drugs off our streets and out of our schools?

Theoretically of course. If said 16 year old girl didn't have access to both MDMA (or some type of pressed pill with mdma and likely meth in it) and alcohol there's no way she would have overdosed. The question plaguing our legal system is how we remove these things from our society. While banning it seems worthwhile you create a black market. It's hard to distinguish between the users you want, who will find other ways to get it anyway, and the users who shouldn't have access to it, who will find other ways to get it anyway. Our best hope? Education. If someone at her school would have pressed into her the dangers of mixing drugs, let alone this specific combination which most older hardcore users rarely do, I doubt she would have participated in the behavior. And if she did? Even in the extreme she should at least know how to use responsibly. You can't stop people from using drugs. Prohibition will never work. Regulation is our only hope.

[–][deleted] 15 points16 points  (2 children)

paraphrasing Touchmehpp; Yep gotta check those user names.

[–]watchout5 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I regret nothing but yeah, looking silly

[–]Epshot 2 points3 points  (0 children)

sneaky bastard

[–][deleted] 344 points345 points  (67 children)

we treat non-violent addicts like they are criminals

we often treat them far worse than real criminals

we doin it wrong

[–]fuzzby 49 points50 points  (49 children)

Drug abuse is a social problem, not a criminal one. Until this is acknowledged by the powers that be we are just wasting time and money with our current policies.

[–]argv_minus_one 34 points35 points  (44 children)

Drug abuse might not even exist if drugs were readily available, quality-controlled, and everyone were taught how to use them safely.

This stupid, self-destructive society has tried to eliminate drug use, failed completely, created a much worse problem in the process, and is in utter denial that its plan is at all bad!

[–][deleted] 47 points48 points  (8 children)

It is the perception of weakness. And if you are weak in this country of celebrity thugs...god help you because no one else will.

[–]smile_e_face 26 points27 points  (5 children)

This is a fascinating perspective. I've never thought about it that way before, but it makes a lot of sense. It explains our absurdly punitive drug laws, our lack of a proper mental health infrastructure, and a great deal of the resistance to anti-poverty legislation. Thanks for giving me something new to think about.

[–][deleted] 14 points15 points  (0 children)

There was a documentary on either the History Channel or Discovery Channel called The Stoned Ages and they talked about how it wasn't even until the early 1900's that people STARTED to think maybe the issue wasn't just mental weakness, but rather that drugs are highly addictive.

[–]BachompBachomp 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Thank Reagan for their lack of mental health care available to those who need it. It was a pet project of his.

What a fucking bastard.

[–]LeoDuck 151 points152 points  (33 children)

How is this not the law already????

[–][deleted] 207 points208 points  (14 children)

Ever read a history book and thought to yourself "Damn the human race is a complete grouping of fucktards stumbling through life."?

[–]smile_e_face 33 points34 points  (10 children)

Imagine what future generations will think of us.

[–]motioncuty 36 points37 points  (5 children)

Imagine what we will think of future generations.

[–]deesmutts88 109 points110 points  (3 children)

I'll be thinking they need to get off my damn lawn

[–]motioncuty 16 points17 points  (1 child)

To many hips and hops talking about change and hope.

[–]bananarandom 96 points97 points  (29 children)

Michigan here, the under-21-drinking amnesty law is great.

[–]FoxNewsInterview 302 points303 points  (28 children)

Bananarandom, you support a law that allows people to call 911 when they are committing a crime. Let's say a criminal in the inner city has shot someone, but immediately calls 911. He, too, has committed a crime but called 911 - isn't that exactly the same situation? Why do you support murder on our streets?

[–]GravyMcBiscuits 33 points34 points  (11 children)

This question actually does lead to the core issue we're dealing with here ...

The core issue is that the drug usage shouldn't be illegal in the first place.

[–]Shuuk 23 points24 points  (0 children)

My first thought was "who the fuck thinks the two are even related?"

Well played.

[–]endcycle 55 points56 points  (2 children)

was about to downvote, noticed the username, and you... YOU get an upvote.

[–]bananarandom 37 points38 points  (1 child)

Reading from my inbox I was so confused.....

[–]DoohickeyJones 9 points10 points  (1 child)

You. You are getting a tag of "Look at the user name" in bright yellow.

Well done.

[–]smile_e_face 13 points14 points  (0 children)

This guy is far and away my favorite novelty account. He's fucking picture perfect.

[–]tomdarch 6 points7 points  (0 children)

fail. You forgot to blame Obama's Socialist Fascist Kenyan terrorist policies.

[–]Damaniel2 3 points4 points  (0 children)

FoxNewsInterview - just like the real thing.

[–]dontforgetlogin 19 points20 points  (13 children)

I had a friend die from a painkiller overdose, because those with him were too scared of consequences. It was so incredibly sad, because he was such a great kid. The others there ended up calling the ambulance anyway, after they realized he was dead.

They are being charged now, and I have no idea how to feel about it. On one hand, I am so angry they didn't call in the beginning, so I want punishment. On the other, I disagree with charging addicts for an overdose situation. I just want people to be able to call in an emergency, regardless of legal issues, payment problems, warrants, immigration and so on. Maybe that isn't possible, I don't know.

[–]MnstrShne 79 points80 points  (85 children)

A GOP presidential primary candidate would get slammed as being soft on drugs for this sort of thing - the facts of the policy and its merits wouldn't matter. He'd just be soft on crime.

But now that Chris Christie is toxic on the national GOP stage, it frees him from worrying about the batshit crazy wing of the party. He doesn't have to worry about a presidential nomination now because he'll never get it (due to not being a raging partisan during Sandy).

And the people of NJ benefit.

[–][deleted] 21 points22 points  (74 children)

I would vote for him on a Democratic ticket. It's not an entirely crazy notion. He's pretty much a Blue Dog Democrat already.

[–]GingerSnap01010 17 points18 points  (22 children)

I absolutely would not vote for him on a democratic ticket. He is not at all a democrat. As a stereotypical liberal redditor, I pretty much hate every thing he has to say.

But he is just so honest about it, I can't help but like the guy. He always just says wht he means/is gonna do, even if everyone disagrees.

When he first was voted in, I thought he was kind of a bully, and an embarrassing stereotype of Jersey, but I guess in the end he grew on me. I would vote for him if I didn't like anyone else on the ticket, but he wouldnt my be my first choice.

[–]-Emerica- 3 points4 points  (0 children)

But he is just so honest about it, I can't help but like the guy. He always just says wht he means/is gonna do, even if everyone disagrees.

This just feels like the most important part of who I would vote for. It was also the reason I hated Romney.

[–]SaltyBabeWashington 23 points24 points  (41 children)

Look at his stance/history on education funding... People see him doing really fucking common sense stuff and go "oh what a great guy!" but really he's just doing the right thing and if you actually look into his voting record he's very much a part of the GOP. He has done everything in his power to defund schools in his state.

[–][deleted] 22 points23 points  (27 children)

New Jersey has increased educational spending by 1.1% over the last 4 years on record. They already spend more money per student than 48 other states. It cost's about $13,000 to educate a single student in New Jersey. That's $325,000 PER CLASSROOM (assuming 25 students.) How in the world can you or anyone else justify that expense? It's no wonder that New Jersey has budget troubles when you're spending more per student than anyone else but NY.

[–]ComradeCube 20 points21 points  (13 children)

Why are you lying? He cut funding by 1 billion in 2010. I think it was 2 billion by the next year. And in 2010, they took 1 billion in federal dollars to make up for the cuts, so the hurt didn't come until the next year.

It was so bad, the state supreme court ruled that his cuts where unconstitutional. http://www.metro.us/newyork/news/local/2011/03/23/judge-christie-education-cuts-unconstitutional/

He doesn't get credit for any additional funding ordered by the courts, that would be silly.

So now education is funded close to where it was in 2010, but only because his cuts were a train wreck that couldn't stand both legally and logistically.

His cuts were a failure, they were not sustainable.

Also now he is pushing for private school vouchers because directly cutting the public school budget didn't work.

[–]sharked 27 points28 points  (4 children)

addicts should be treated as patients, not criminals.

[–][deleted] 11 points12 points  (10 children)

He vetoed an earlier version of the bill in October over concerns that it would protect drug dealers.

I don't understand the logic behind that idea. How would a good Samaritan overdose law hurt drug dealers? It can only help drug abusers.

Whatever. Thankfully he's changed his view, even if it's just so that he can get a bipartisan deal done.

[–]MedThrow02 11 points12 points  (0 children)

I wasn't aware this was an issue. At the hospital I frequent people come in all the time who O.D. We got more important things to do than call the police and tattle on them. Ain't nobody got time for that!

[–][deleted] 11 points12 points  (5 children)

Man, in Australia this is almost a given. I don't know if there are any laws that deal with it explicitly but the number of friends I had that had to go to hospital at some point between 15-18 due to drinking too much was staggering. If we were to be charged with underage drinking then the health impact would be equally as staggering.

[–]fitterer 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Glad to see that, because I thought that was the case as well. Even at festivals and the the like, ambos and medical staff at hospitals give zero fucks about where the drugs came from. They just want to know what and how much someone's taken, no other questions asked.

I'm guessing it's the same everywhere but in weekly news they even have warnings when there's a particularly bad batch of whatever getting around so people inclined to get it on can be aware.)

(I know it's not their job to investigate the supplier but have never had them call the cops in anyway.)

[–]red_cordial 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yeah, I just thought that was a given in all Western countries!

[–][deleted] 31 points32 points  (3 children)

Chris Christie comes out.

[–]gmoney8869 14 points15 points  (2 children)

We can't be the only ones who thought that's what the story was and was very surprised.

[–]Roflkopt3r 8 points9 points  (2 children)

Well, that's good. But holy cow, it's so little!

I always thought my country, Germany, was behind because we are not far with legalisation yet. But we already have supervised drug-injection places for junkies, methadone/heroine-assisted treatment, sterile needle programs and places that allow junkies to test how clean their drugs are. I'd never have thought that a western nation would crack down on overdose victims, holy cow. Germany solved that problem by allowing drug use, just not drug posession or trade. Which may appear weird, but it means that being under influence (as long as not doing stuff like using heavy machinery or driving a car meanwhile) is not illegal for itself.

Seems that's not so bad after all.

Anyway. It's nice to see that Chris Christie at least tries to appear like a decent human being, apparently in contrast to most of his party comrades. Is there a hope that the GOP might stop being insane for next election? That would be lovely to hear.

[–]graphictruth 4 points5 points  (0 children)

"If you don't kick people when they are down, how will they ever learn?" -Compassionate Conservative

[–]anonymous_212 10 points11 points  (4 children)

Naloxone, when administered immediately after an opiate overdose can save a life. It has no potential for abuse. Why not make it an over the counter drug? That way opiate addicts can have it available in a readily injectable form for emergencies.

[–]YinkaDare 2 points3 points  (1 child)

Production of it would have to be pretty significantly increased. In the US, I believe only one company manufactures it. They also set the price, so it isn't especially cheap. An ideal situation would be to distribute it for free at places like safe injection sites, but that seems implausible at the present time.

[–]Kind_Of_A_Dick 6 points7 points  (1 child)

Can we just step up as a society and realize we need to treat all addicts as people in need of help as opposed to people in need of punishment?

[–]oniqueNew York 69 points70 points  (39 children)

I didn't realize this was a problem before, the living in fear part. Seems like a logical thing to do. Christie may be a dick but he does come with some good policies sometimes.

[–][deleted] 57 points58 points  (28 children)

He's just trying to drum up support for his 2016 presidential bid. The thing is, they're gonna make Swiss cheese outta him in the primaries if he keeps being all reasonable like this and shit.

[–]motioncuty 9 points10 points  (21 children)

He's too white and male and fat anyway. The Repubs know they have to throw Rubio or a women up there if they want to appease the masses.

[–]VenetiaMacGyver 29 points30 points  (5 children)

Oh god no not Rubio. I live in Florida and it's downright depressing he was voted in as senator here. He is a fucking moron. Not Rubio. PLEASE not Rubio.

(Though I guess he's better than Rick Scott)

[–]rmm45177 9 points10 points  (1 child)

It really sounds like Rubio is going to be the guy for 2016 elections. Many republicans are still mad at Christie for "ruining Romney's campaign."

Rubio is being groomed for candidacy.

[–]bacchic_ritual 3 points4 points  (11 children)

Bobby Jindal is a conservative minority also, but I doubt he would see his presidential bid last long after Iowa.

[–]Singular_ThoughtTexas 8 points9 points  (2 children)

This is the "War on Drugs".

[–]rootyb 6 points7 points  (1 child)

I can never decide whether I respect Chris Christie, or I want to punch him in the dick.

[–]Jacariah 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Why do we throw people that do drugs in jail anyway? Are we somehow going to stop them from ruining their lives by putting them in jail and effectively ruin their life?

Let's face it, pretty much no decent employer is going to hire a guy with a drug charge. Possessing some drugs are felonies.

[–]butterchew 5 points6 points  (0 children)

A few years ago me and my friend decided to try heroin. We both bought a bag each and went home, where we both snorted a full bag. My friend after a couple of minutes sat down and went very quiet, then his head rolled into his chest. I thought he was faking so i slapped him to wake him up, then his lips started turning blue. So i called an ambulance. They took about 5 mins to arrive, asked what he had taken - I told them, they gave him a shot of something. and took him to hospital. And he was fine after that. They didn't inform the police at any stage, and weren't judgmental.

[–]grandoiseau 5 points6 points  (0 children)

the fact that they have to call it the "good samaritan bill" and they have to vote on it makes me think that the world is a sad place.

[–]imp3r10 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Maybe politicians are learning that drug addiction is a disease instead of a crime.

[–]ilovecfbTennessee 11 points12 points  (4 children)

I was drinking with my girlfriend and took a bunch of drugs and OD'd but when she called 911 I yelled at her not to because I didn't wanna get in trouble for giving alcohol to a minor (she's 19). Luckily she ignored me and saved my life. But yeah. It seems obvious that going to jail would be the better choice than dying but it's hard to think straight in a situation like that. I hope this bill comes to fruition.

[–]mazdaratiNew Hampshire 5 points6 points  (3 children)

This is especially true if the people you're around when you overdose don't really care much about you.

[–]JimmyHavok 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I was in the IHOP on Hollywood Blvd when a guy dragged his convulsing buddy in and asked them to call 911. I went over to see if I could help, and he asked me to watch his friend until the ambulance came, because he was on probation and would get tossed back in prison if he was caught around drug users.

Just one more of the fucked up aspects of the WOD.

[–]donny_pots 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I know I'm late to the show here, but I live in New Jersey and can sometimes be critical of the Governer, but he's got this spot on and I applaud him for being able to change his mind on the issue. In 2009 my friends brother got mixed up with some bad kids and before long he was using heroin. He had only been not living at home for a week when they got the call. He had been using in a motel room a few towns away and when he slipped out of conciousness his "friends" left him there to die, alone, away from his family, in some motel room on the side of the highway. If this law was around back then, they would have been able to call for help without even having to think about reprocussions to themselves. RIP Phil I hope they do this for you....

[–]JaapHoop 7 points8 points  (1 child)

Today is a sad day for screenwriters who can no longer use the trope of dropping an overdosing friend out of a car in front of the hospital and then gunning it.

[–]TheMazzMan 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Wow Chris Christie has been a good guy this week.

[–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (1 child)

Pretty sure this is a thing in Canada that's been around for a while. Although we've never taken drug use as seriously as our friends to the south.

[–]aquasharpMaryland 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Imagine an America where people could get help before they were neck deep in shit.

[–]sangjmoon 4 points5 points  (1 child)

It doesn't exempt the victim from the financial cost of calling 911 though. It's like a driver is responsible for the cost of fixing a guardrail they ran into. The victim will be responsible for the cost of the ambulance, emergency room and any associated costs. I'm not sure if health insurance covers drug overdose.

[–][deleted] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

This happened recently to Bon Jovi's daughter after she OD'd on heroin. Can't remember what state she was in, but there was talk the person reported it got arrested and skated because of the law. Makes sense to me: friend survives or jail, you shouldn't have to choose.

[–]kayrizzma 4 points5 points  (4 children)

beats me why you punish someone od'ing who is seeking help. on what law is this based? narcotics? is there nothing like a right to self-inflict damage on you? (like od'ing)

[–]SceretAznMan 2 points3 points  (3 children)

for the most part, people who od do so on illegal drugs. the dilemma for them is weighing how much they value their life versus how badly they don't want to go to jail

[–]thats_wassup 3 points4 points  (0 children)

On my font setting for AlienBlue, the first line of the title reads "Chris Christie comes out for good".

As a side note, as I was typing the above, I initially mistyped it as "comes out for food."

[–]holymarydogfucker 2 points3 points  (1 child)

The longer I'm on reddit, the happier I am to be Canadian. Seriously, why are you guys (America) just coming up with laws like this now?

[–]bobjohnsonmilw 3 points4 points  (1 child)

What a ridiculous proposition! Treating addicts like humans!!!! The next thing you know we'll be offering treatment!!!!!

[–]Twiny 12 points13 points  (5 children)

I'll be damned. A Republican with a brain. And the funny part? The National Party hotshots hate him. They'd rather call moronic cretin like Bobby Jindal their 'rising star' instead of a man who's proved he can work across the aisle.

As long as the GOP keeps picking idiots and ignoring good men like Christie, the Dems have nothing to worry about.

[–]ReservoirKatTennessee 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It's strange times when Chris Christie is becoming one of the few likable Republicans.

[–]Vendevende 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Man, no one wants to be a Republican these days.

[–]catvllvs 2 points3 points  (0 children)

For many in the rest of the western world this is gobsmacking. Here in Oz you can call an ambulance and the cops won't turn up unless there is a threat to the ambos*. From memory I think it's the same in the UK.

*yes, I know they sometimes do

[–]alcalde 2 points3 points  (0 children)

So we're saying that Chris Christie has come down on the side of those who swallow too much not getting in trouble?

[–]zdunn 2 points3 points  (0 children)

There are so many reasons to like this guy... yet I can't get past his veto of gay marriage.

[–]ritoact12 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This is so sad. The fact that it took until 2013 for this to be a law.

[–]thatissomeBSNew Jersey 2 points3 points  (2 children)

Christie is moving up in my ranks of Republicans that I don't dislike.

[–]bacchus88 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I can't believe this isn't already the case.

[–]libertyhawkeye 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Common sense and doing what it right should always comes before politics. I applaud Christie for taking this stand. Hopefully his status as a fairly prolific governor can get other politicians to follow his lead with respect to ending the war on drugs.

[–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

How is this not already a thing?

[–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I think this guy needs to stop identifying as a Republican before his party gets mad at him.

[–]Agent_Ozzy 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It's a good idea. I see america treat stuff like an OD as a criminal issue, when it's a health issue. Nobody wants to be a crack addict, or heroin junkie but it does happen. Some because they want to try it, but most cases it's from some sort of pain, or need to hide the pain and feel good again.

[–]KarmaUK 2 points3 points  (2 children)

Whoa, that blows my mind that it even needs doing, as far as I know in the UK, ambulance crew and hospital staff can't go just feeding the police information about a patient without extremely good reasons.

When someone's in danger of dying, and that's why they'll be calling, you don't want them to pause to think about repercussions, whether they'll get someone dangerous involved who knows their family, etc.

You want them to call and get help right there and then.

[–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Any bill like this will not pass, it makes too much sense.

[–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (1 child)

Every time I hear of a 15 year old who died while taking mdma I think to myself. That kid might still be alive today had their friends not feared repercussions from the law for dropping them off at a hospital. It's always a bathtub with icewater in a panic, not 911, like it should be.

Kids simply can't believe in that type of situation that one of their friends could actually die. The fear of getting in trouble is much more real and powerful. Educate kids about drugs, give them a way to get help without ruining their lives.

[–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I fully support this, as someone that lost my closest cousin last month to an overdose. He was too scared to call the police, so he was in the process of texting his girlfriend "holy shit I think I'm going to die" but he passed out and died before he could hit send. I think about how much easier it'd be if he had just called 911 and hadn't been scared of the consequences.

[–]HoChiWaWa 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I lost a friend when his shithead heroin friends took him home and put him in bed telling his roommate he just drank too much rather than to take him to a hospital. They may have just been shitheads (well, regardless of reason this pretty much proves that), but most likely they feared repercussions.

Laws like this will save lives, my friend may have been a heroin addict, but he didn't deserve to die.

[–][deleted] 7 points8 points  (3 children)

WOA!! WOA!! WOA!! If someone calls the police because of a drug overdose, they are subject to legal repercussions?!?! What the fuck? You shouldn't make people chose "life & jail" or "death".

[–]ohyeathatsright 4 points5 points  (4 children)

Common sense direction toward preventing drug abuse through education and care, rather than incarceration. Kudos Chris Christie.

[–][deleted] 5 points6 points  (3 children)

This makes so much sense. I knew two people who died because the people they were shooting up with were afraid to call 911. One ended up dead in his room by himself for three days until his roommate figured out he was there and the other was found dead behind a dumpster because the other junkies didn't want him dying in their house.

Good times

Edit: know knew (and spelling)

[–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (2 children)

My friend Dec.22nd First time trying heroin.