When you call 911, your call is routed to a dispatch centre. A trained dispatcher takes the call and asks a set of standardised questions. Based on the answers, they send out police, fire, and/or emergency medical services (EMS) as needed. Since dispatchers only have the word of the caller to go on, they tend to err on the side of caution. Typically, this means that mention of drugs or overdose, even offhand, will summon the police and EMS. Our suggestion to people on the fence about calling 911 is to have a story ready to go in advance. You don’t need to mention the substances involved, but try to be specific about the symptoms the person is experiencing, like trouble breathing, loss of consciousness, or vomiting. Source: https://www.healthline.com/health/substance-use/calling-911-for-overdose#call-911 Note: Within the study, each building has its processes and expectations for calling 911. It is up to the discretion of the building staff as well as each tenant to decide to call 911 or not.

Your Rights During an Overdose/Police Interaction This information is not meant to create panic or fear. It is meant to inform you of your rights during police interactions and convey the limitations of the Good Samaritans Act. The Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act (Good Sam law) was enacted in 2017. The government states that this law is intended to reduce the fear of calling the police in the event of an overdose and to encourage people to stay with the person who is having the overdose to help them while waiting for medical assistance. However, there are limitations to be aware of, as the act does not protect against all drug-related charges. Who does this law apply to? Anyone who requests emergency help in the event of an overdose (including the person who is overdosing) regardless of whether they stay or leave the premises before help arrives AND anyone who remains on the scene when help arrives. The Good Samaritan Act stops police who show up on the site of an overdose to arrest you for: -“simple” possession (substances on hand for own personal consumption) - breach of conditions (parole or probation) but ONLY IF the conditions are related to a “simple” possession offence. This Act DOES NOT offer any protection against: An arrest/charge for ANY OTHER criminal offence, such as possession for the purpose of trafficking (e.g. selling or sharing drugs and can also include drugs given as a gift, or drugs administered (injecting someone else, even at their request) or transported (moving drugs for transportation) *note: there is no listed quantity of drug that qualifies for trafficking* (pg. 26). Production (Police may find out about production when they are informed of large or suspicious purchases of chemical precursors used to produce synthetic narcotics (See substances in Schedule VI on page 39). Other purchases may also look suspicious, such as the combination of motors, dust masks, meat grinder, submersible pump, garbage bags and chemical resistant gloves (pg. 30). Obstruction, procuring, weapon possession (pg. 99). An arrest/charge for breach of conditions that are linked to ANY OTHER criminal offence except “simple” possession (e.g. conditions related to possession for the purpose of trafficking, theft, sex work, assault, fraud) (pg. 99). An arrest connected to a warrant issued in Canada (e.g. for having missed your court date) (pg. 99). Things to note: Anytime you are speaking with the police- you are making a statement. This statement can be used to accuse and prosecute you (pg.16). It may be useful to think in advance about how you want to interact with police. You may choose to stay silent, or provide a statement. Think about how you would do this in a stressful or fearful situation (pg. 17). If you are charged at the scene with a criminal offence, the crown must prove you committed it, i.e., there must be evidence. Do not produce unnecessary evidence by offering up information to the police that could be used later down the line to convict you (pg. 18). Things you might want to consider if you call 911 for assistance: Should I stash or dispose of my drugs and related evidence? Should I tell anyone else at the scene that I have called 911 so they can leave if they need to? Should I tell emergency dispatch that the environment is safe/secure and specify that only medical assistance is required? This might help reduce the chances that police are dispatched along with the ambulance/paramedics, but remember that this does not guarantee that police won’t also arrive. If I’m in a public space, even though the Good Sam Law exists, do I want to stand at a distance to keep an eye on the situation? If I can’t stay (e.g. if there is a warrant in my name), am I able to leave a note for paramedics with key information (e.g. what they took, how much, medical conditions)? Or can I ask someone else to stay and provide this information to the paramedics? (pg. 100). Source: http://librarypdf.catie.ca/ATI-30000s/30102.pdf