Alcohol:
If you seek medical help on behalf of someone with alcohol poisoning, you will be exempt from certain underage alcohol possession charges.
The law grants immunity for charges from law enforcement, including campus safety. In other words, they cannot ticket you with underage possession or consumption of alcohol if you are you seeking medical attention on behalf of someone who may have alcohol poisoning.
To be sure you receive amnesty, you must do 2 things:
(1) Provide your name when calling 911
(2) Stay with the victim until help arrives.
UNC has a Campus Alcohol Policy, which includes Medical Amnesty. Under the Policy, students will receive amnesty from judicial sanctions in medical emergencies. The current Community Living Standards includes Medical Amnesty. See pg. 2 of Community Living Standards.
Drugs:
If you seek help on behalf of a drug overdose victim, you and the victim will be exempt from certain drug charges.
To be sure you receive amnesty, you must do 2 things:
(1) Provide your name when calling 911
(2) Stay with the victim until help arrives
The law grants amnesty for both the person seeking medical help AND the overdose victim. Neither can be charged with:
- Misdemeanor drug possession (such as marijuana)
- Felony possession of less than one gram of heroin or one gram of cocaine
- Possession of drug paraphernalia
In other words, you can call 911 or seek medical attention if you think a friend has overdosed, and the police cannot arrest you or the victim for any of the above — even if the drugs are in plain sight.
Important limitations: The law does not offer protection if larger quantities of drugs are present or if there is evidence of drug manufacturing, distribution, or selling. The law does not protect against charges related to possession of more than 1.5 ounces of marijuana, more than 1 gram of cocaine, heroin, or bath salts, or more than 100 tablets of many prescription drugs.
Note that laws can change. To verify the current law, visit the NC Legislature website and search for N.C.G.S. § 90-96.2.
UNC’s Community Living Standards also include protections for students who seek medical help in a drug-related emergency. See pg. 3 of the Community Living Standards.
Refer to the Student Code of Conduct and the Illegal Drugs Policy for complete details on the University’s drug-related policies.