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Florida could soon become just the sixth state in the nation to encourage drug users to help overdose victims by promising not to prosecute them. The Florida Senate passed the legislation 38 to 0 this morning and as Mike Vasilinda tells us, sponsors hope the 9-1-1 Good Samaritan Act will save lives.

Two thousand four hundred twenty people died in Florida from accidental drug overdoses in 2010.

Now state lawmakers want to encourage those witnessing, or even doing drugs with someone who is overdosing to pick up the phone. The 9-1-1 Good Samaritan Act would prohibit police from charging someone with drug possession if the illicit substances were discovered in the course of responding to an overdose.

“What this tries to do is to prevent a panicky witness, who may be already under the influence, from picking up this person who is in need of medical assistance and getting him to the hospital,” bill sponsor Sen. Maria Sachs (D-Broward) said.

Police support the change. They say it will shift the emphasis of destroying a stash first to making a call for help.

“If anything, if it doesn’t encourage them to call 911, it will speed up the time they will take to call 911, because they are not disposing of their drugs,” Orange County Deputy Sheriff Capt. Mike Fewless said.

Sponsors are quick to point out this isn’t a get out of jail free card for drug dealers, but a free pass for Good Samaritans making the good call.

There are no statistics on arrests made at the scene of an overdose. House sponsor Mack Bernard says the law will make it easier for people to do the right thing.

“Would you prefer that somewhat had called 911, or that they left them in a bathtub to die?” Bernard said.

The number of drug overdose deaths is almost identical to the number of deaths on the highway.

New Mexico was the first state to pass the 9-1-1 Good Samaritan law in 2007. Since then, Alaska, Connecticut, New York and Washington State have enacted similar legislation.