I am thrilled to see the new language in Maine’s Good Samaritan law. It expands protection to include anyone who is “rendering aid,” which could include calling 911, administering CPR or simply keeping an eye on someone until help arrives.
I am a drug and alcohol prevention specialist. I talk to teens in schools all over the United States. When I visit a school, I always look up the Good Samaritan law in every state I visit. Why? I want to see if it protects teens who might find themselves in situations where a friend is intoxicated from substance use and unable to respond. In those situations, I urge teens to call an adult for help. If they can’t involve an adult, I urge teens to call 911 for life-saving purposes.
Many teens will tell me they are afraid to call an adult, call 911 or take the friend to the ER for fear they may get in trouble for being present where alcohol and drugs were involved. I tell them their state’s Good Samaritan law protects them because they rendered aid by calling 911 or simply kept a watchful an eye on their friend until help arrived.
This law saves lives. All teens should know they are protected if they “render aid” when someone’s life depends upon it.
Barbara Sullivan
Portland
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