This is a crisis that we can improve. 

551 deaths - mostly preventable deaths. 551 is the final number the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) documents for the state of Kansas for April 2020 through April 2021. This number is an increase in fatalities by unintentional substance overdose of 43.86% in only a single calendar year.  (Products - Vital Statistics Rapid Release - Provisional Drug Overdose Data (cdc.gov))

     This is, unfortunately, not a statistic solely represented in Kansas.

      Just this month (November 17, 2021), the CDC issued an immediate release to bring awareness to record-breaking data. The United States reported a 28.5% increase in overdose deaths during the 12 months ending April 2021. This data is a startling jump from April 2020's annual total from 78,056 deaths to 100,306. Synthetic opioids (primarily fentanyl) contributed the most significant increase of overdose deaths, 75,673 this year. (Drug Overdose Deaths in the U.S. Top 100,000 Annually (cdc.gov))

      Despite a mortality rate with timely medical attention of only 1.1%, drug overdose is the leading cause of unintentional, non-medical deaths in the country and Kansas. As you can see, there are more deaths in Kansas by accidental drug overdose than there are deaths related to firearm injuries, homicides, and motor vehicle fatalities. The rates below are specifically related to Kansas data:

• Drug Overdose Death Rate
  14.3 (per 100,000)
• Firearm Injury Death Rate
  13.7 (per 100,000)
• Homicide Rate
  4.9 (per 100,000)(Kansas (cdc.gov))
• Motor Vehicle Fatalities Death Rate
  14.1 (per 100,000) (State by state (iihs.org)

And most overdose deaths could be prevented with timely medical attention during the first and most critical times after an overdose occurs. Sadly, most do not seek assistance due to fear.

     Currently, 47 state legislatures and the District of Columbia have passed Good Samaritan laws (GSLs) to protect bystanders from criminal prosecution if they call for medical assistance during a drug overdose. Bystanders to a drug overdose are often worried that by calling for help, they could be arrested for drug possession or evicted by the police, who often arrive first at the scene of a 911 call.

• Only three states have yet to enact any GSLs related to drug overdoses: Wyoming, Texas, and Kansas.
• Thirty-seven states' Good Samaritan laws include some legal protection from drug paraphernalia laws. (New Data Highlights Complexity of Good Samaritan Overdose Law Landscape | Bill of Health(harvard.edu))
• A GSL for Kansas would be a zero-cost (fisc_note_hb2365_00_0000.pdf (kslegislature.org)) answer to life preservation and offer an opportunity to develop confidence and cohesiveness within our communities.
• Data shows that a combination of GSLs with expansive legal protections, public and law enforcement awareness, as well as community support of the GSLs are associated with higher emergency room visits for overdose and significantly lower rates of deaths by overdose. (Good Samaritan laws and overdose mortality in the United States in the fentanyl era - ScienceDirect).

     One close comparative example for Kansans is in Oklahoma:

Pursuant to Okla. Stat. tit. 63, § 2-413.1; "A peace officer shall not take a person into custody based solely on the commission of an offense involving a controlled dangerous substance if the peace officer, after making a reasonable determination and considering the facts and surrounding circumstances, reasonably believes the individual took specific delineated actions to prevent an overdose." (OKLAHOMA STATUTES, Title 63 (oklegislature.gov)). This statute provides the expansive protections mentioned above for bystanders by offering protection from:

• Arrest: controlled substance possession
• Prosecution: controlled substance possession
• Prosecution: drug paraphernalia
• Sentencing: overdose is not a mitigating factor

(only protection not provided is from probation or parole violations) (PDAPS - Good Samaritan Overdose Prevention Laws)

    Despite concerns from opponents to GSLs, Oklahoma has seen the most significant 3-year decrease of drug overdose deaths of any state -  at an 8.05% annual decline since the statute became effective November 1, 2018. While most states have seen an incline during the COVID-19 pandemic, Oklahoma has set records in their declining death rates associated with drug overdoses. 

    551 people lost their lives this year to drug overdose in our state. If medical assistance had been administered to every person, the mortality rate of 1.1% would mean that 98.9% of them could have been saved. 549.9 lives could have been saved, or 550 out 551 people might not have lost their lives. 

    The Committee on Judiciary recommended bill HB 2365 be passed; however, the presentation never occurred. Friday, March 5, 2021, the bill was unfortunately stricken from the calendar by Rule 1507. (HB 2365 | Bills and Resolutions | Kansas State Legislature (kslegislature.org)).

   I am now asking for your support to bring more attention to this no-cost bill that can save lives. I ask you to help unite with me in this journey by signing and sharing this petition to create positive change together! 

 

Thank you!

Angie Shockley