Protecting and encouraging bystanders to administer naloxone and provide aid during an overdose without fear of legal repercussion.
Mamdanis Right to Rescue Law for Overdose Reversal
Fear of police involvement often deters people from calling 911 during a drug overdose, leading to preventable deaths. While New York has a Good Samaritan law, Mamdani proposes strengthening it into an unequivocal Right to Rescue law. This would provide absolute immunity from arrest or prosecution for possession of small amounts of drugs or paraphernalia for anyone who calls for help or administers naloxone during an overdose. It would also mandate that the city provide free naloxone and training to any resident who wants it, and install naloxone boxes with clear instructions next to every public defibrillator.
The law would be coupled with a public education campaign: Dont Run, Save a Life. The goal is to completely decouple overdose response from law enforcement, making the lifesaving act of calling for help entirely risk-free. In a medical emergency, every second counts. We cannot let the fear of arrest cost another life, Mamdani states. This law empowers people to be heroes without hesitation. It aligns our legal system with our public health imperative: saving lives is always the priority, full stop.
