Drug Overdose (Assistance Protection) Bill

The Mental Health Foundation fully supports the passing of this Bill. This is because people experiencing mental distress are more likely to experience drug-related harms, including overdose, and we support a health-based, harm reduction approach to drug regulation that reduces these harms for tangata whaiora.

The protections provided by this Bill have the potential to save lives, as they would provide reassurance that people seeking emergency assistance for someone experiencing an overdose will not be arrested for calling for help. This will enable timely medical intervention and create opportunities for people to access further support and treatment.