New York has closed it application process for those wishing to get one of the state's 5 permits to open a medical cannabis dispensary. Each permit would entitle the holder to open four dipsnsaries. In total, 20 dispensaries would be opened in a state with a population of over 19 million people.
This message is from our June sponsor, the Cannabis Industry Association, which is holding The Cannabis Business Summit & Expo 2015 from June 29-July 1 in Denver. Discounts are available for StoptheDrugWar.org readers!
Your help is needed to advance our global drug policy reform campaign and to continue publishing this newsletter.
ProCon.org is a series of in-depth web sites presenting information and views from on current issues, several with relevance to drug policy. The Chronicle is currently running a series of info items from ProCon.org -- this one from medicalmarijuana.procon.org -- and we encourage you to check it out.
It's getting a bit quieter on the medical marijuana front as state legislative sessions wind down, but there is still some action.
Cops hauling pot, cops protecting loads of cocaine, cops selling ecstasy, and a whole bunch of cops with apparent prescription pill problems.
New polls show majorities for marijuana legalization in Arizona and California, Wisconsin legalization bills get introduced, Maryland will start providing naltrexone to jailed addicts, the California Senate passes asset forfeiture reform, the Connecticut Senate passes drug defelonization, and more.
No decrim for New Hampshire, but maybe for Miami; a pair of Colorado congressmen file a federal marijuana-impaired driving bill that would require science-based policies, Louisiana is about to become the first Southern state with medical marijuana dispensaries, and more.
Chris Christie speaks out against marijuana legalization, Ohio officials try to block a legalization initiative, employee hair drug testing becomes the law in Louisiana, a former Colombian president calls for drug legalization and supplying some addicts with drugs, and more.
Another GOP presidential contender weighs in on marijuana policy, the nation's harshest pot laws are about to get a little better, the AMA sticks up for medical marijuana, er, cannabis, doctors, and more.
Only one Ohio marijuana legalization initiative is still trying to make the ballot this year -- and looks like it will -- South Dakota could try for the third time to approve medical marijuana, a harm reduction measure passes in North Carolina, and more.
Empire State Building, NYC
Today state officials in New York will close the application process to open a dispensary.
According to numbers from the New York Post, the state has already brought in $3 million from the selection process by charging 300 perspective dispensary owners $10,000 a pop to file their bid to attain one of the five permits being distributed in the state.
These permits would allow their holder to open four dispensaries, and 20 dispensaries in total would be allowed to open in a state with a population of 19.75 million. The idea of one dispensary per 1 million residents does not really float with any goals for there to be ease of access, but with how limited the conditions list is, it shouldn't be much of an issue as dispensing kicks off in 2016. However, patients upstate are worried about the travel times that would be required to access their medicine.
Lightly processed flowers, as in trimmed, dried, and cured, will not be available to New York patients. This is due to the ban on smoking medical cannabis -- only oils, edibles, and vapable products will be for sale.
Not everyone in New York is happy with how the state's regulations turned out. State Assembly Leader Richard Gottfried told a Drug Policy Alliance event, "Last June, we were about to pass in both houses and the Governor calls me and Diane Savino down to his office and says 'This is how we've got to change it.' Maybe we should have told him to stuff it and passed it how it was and had him veto it, but we decided to bargain with him. We got a lot of really bad changes into the legislation and when they came out with the regulations they were even worse."
Hopefully after the kinks are worked out in the distribution process, New York's medical cannabis program will redevelop into something a bit more inclusive. Right now, lots of folks will be left out of the loop when it comes to using cannabis as effective medicine.
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The following announcement is from our June sponsor, the National Cannabis Industry Association, which is holding The Cannabis Business Summit & Expo 2015, taking place this June 29 through July 1 in Denver. Use code SDW10 when you register to get a StoptheDrugWar.org member discount!
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Join the revolution as we continue to fight for a prosperous future for all businesses in the cannabis industry.
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StoptheDrugWar.org is at a critical moment in our work. Our campaign to reform global drug policy is gaining traction; but while grantors are considering major funding for it, those funds are not yet in place. We have stretched things to move the project forward already, and we need your help at this time to do more. Visit http://stopthedrugwar.org/global/ to learn more about this effort and for links you can follow to the press we've gotten.Our ongoing educational publishing work also continues to play an important role, and is relied on by advocates around the world. There is no other source besides our web site where one can find a comprehensive rundown on all the news stories of interest in all the different areas of drug policy reform. Because there is so much more going on now than there used to be, many of those stories now only get links. But that's our way of getting the this needed job done, and it's a good problem to have. Visit http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle to read the latest in our Drug War Chronicle newsletter if you haven't lately.
If you were planning to donate to our organization at some point, but weren't sure when, or if you've been thinking about it but just haven't gotten to it yet, I hope you'll make this the time. June, unfortunately, is a "dry season" for donations to organizations, despite our having had rain here in Washington the last few days. Your gift today or this week -- whether it's a large one, or a small one together with those made by others -- could be what makes the difference in our being able to press forward full speed at this important moment.
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Did you know that there currently are ten pharmaceutical drugs based on marijuana? Read the details on MedicalMarijuana.ProCon.org, part of the ProCon.org family.
This is the second installment in a Drug War Chronicle "Did You Know" series of important facts from ProCon.org. Follow the Chronicle the next several weeks to read them, or sign up for ProCon.org's email list or RSS feed. Read our first installment in the series here.
ProCon.org is a web site promoting critical thinking, education, and informed citizenship by presenting controversial issues in a straightforward, nonpartisan primarily pro-con format.
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It's getting a bit quieter on the medical marijuana front as state legislative sessions wind down, but there is still some action.
NationalLast weekend, the AMA called for protections for medical marijuana doctors. Meeting at its annual convention in Chicago, the American Medical Association has passed a resolution called "Immunity from Federal Prosecution for Cannabis Prescribing." The resolution is "consistent with AMA policy to protect patient-physician communications about treatment options, supporting a public health approach rather than a law-enforcement focus, for individuals possessing cannabis for personal use and opposing government interference with the practice of medicine," the nation's largest doctors' group said.
Alabama
Last Thursday, medical marijuana legislation died. The legislative session ended last Thursday, and medical marijuana legislation died without action. Again.
California
Last Thursday, the Santa Barbara planning commission approved a dispensary. The commission approved a location at Ontare Plaza by a 6-1 vote. It still must be approved by the city council.
Louisiana
Last Thursday, the House approved a medical marijuana bill. The House approved Senate Bill 143, which would allow for the use of non-smoked marijuana for medical reasons and which would set up a system of 10 dispensaries statewide. The bill has already passed the Senate, but now returns there for a final vote after the house amended the bill. Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) has said he will sign the bill.
[For extensive information about the medical marijuana debate, presented in a neutral format, visit MedicalMarijuana.ProCon.org.]
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Cops hauling pot, cops protecting loads of cocaine, cops selling ecstasy, and a whole bunch of cops with apparent prescription pill problems, Let's get to it:
In Pennsauken, New Jersey, a Camden County police officer was arrested in late April on drug charges, but his arrest wasn't made public until now. Officer Matthew Van Houten, 28, was one of 32 people arrested in the mass bust of two independent drug trafficking groups on the Jersey Shore. He is charged with possession of cocaine while employed as a police officer. He went down in Operation Tidal Wave, which netted 10 pounds of cocaine, three ounces of heroin, 16 pounds of marijuana, a thousand pills, seven vehicles, and $125,000 in cash.In Sulphur, Louisiana, a Cameron County sheriff's deputy was arrested last Tuesday with 18 pounds of marijuana in his car. Deputy Derek Nothnagel had been pulled over on I-10 by state troopers. He is charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, use and sale of drug paraphernalia, improper lane usage, following too closely and expired inspection decal. He was booked into the Calcasieu Parish Correctional Center. His bond was set at more than $27,000.
In Virginia Beach, Virginia, a Virginia Beach police officer was arrested last Wednesday for allegedly fraudulently obtaining prescription drugs. Officer Harry Kephart Jr. is accused of misrepresenting facts when he went to a medical facility after being denied drugs by an emergency room doctor the same day. He's out on bond now.
In Conway, Arkansas, a former assistant county jail administrator was arrested Monday for taking prescription drugs prescribed to an inmate. Capt. Lloyd Vincent, 40, resigned last year after an investigation into missing prescription drugs began and is now charged with fraud or deceit to obtain narcotic drugs. He has admitted taking the drugs and leading a nurse to believe that he was disposing of them. He was, but not in the way intended.
In Yulee, Florida, a Nassau County sheriff's deputy was arrested Tuesday for allegedly selling his prescription pain medications. Deputy Stuart James Raulerson went down after authorities received a tip he was selling hydrocodone that had been prescribed to him. He is charged with sale of a controlled substance and conspiracy to engage in trafficking hydrocodone, both felonies. He's also been fired.
In Savannah, Georgia, a former Savannah-Chatham police officer was sentenced last Wednesday to serve six months in jail for selling Ecstasy. Derrick Andre Fullmer had copped to one count each of possession and distribution of the drug. He also must pay a fine and do three years of supervised release.
In Miami, a former NYPD officer was sentenced last Friday to 10 years in federal prison after he provided armed security for a $200,000 cocaine deal that turned out to be a sting. Phillip Leroy, 28, had earlier pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking conspiracy charges. He went down in Sunrise, a Florida town notorious for its drug stings and asset forfeitures. He agreed to provide security for a load of 22 pounds of cocaine, but was busted when he went to a warehouse to get it.
In Pacific, Missouri, a former Pacific police officer was sentenced Monday to five years in prison for stealing drug evidence from the department. Arthur Tullock, 56, had pleaded guilty to two counts of stealing controlled substances. Local prosecutors said they had to throw out about a dozen drug cases because he consumed the evidence.
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New polls show majorities for marijuana legalization in Arizona and California, Wisconsin legalization bills get introduced, Maryland will start providing naltrexone to jailed addicts, the California Senate passes asset forfeiture reform, the Connecticut Senate passes drug defelonization, and more.
Marijuana PolicyArizona Poll Has Support for Legalization at 53%. A new Behavior Research Center poll has 53% supporting legal marijuana, with 39% opposed. The poll comes as two different groups are in signature-gathering campaigns to get a legalization initiative on the 2016 ballot.
California Poll Has Support for Legalization at 54%. A new PPIC Statewide Survey poll has support for marijuana legalization at 54%, with 44% opposed. The poll is in line with other recent polls and comes as a number of legalization initiatives have already been filed, but with more still to come.
Wisconsin Legalization -- But No Sales -- Bills Introduced. Legislators in Madison last week filed legalization bills in both chambers. Assembly Bill 246, filed by Representative Mandela Barnes (D-Milwaukee), and Senate Bill 167, filed by Senator Chris Larson (D-Milwaukee), would remove the possibility of criminal penalties for the possession of up to 25 grams of cannabis, and the personal cultivation of up to two plants. But they would not allow for regulated marijuana commerce.
Drug Treatment
Maryland Program Will Give Naltrexone to Jailed Heroin Addicts. Gov. Larry Hogan (R) announced Tuesday that his administration plans to begin treating heroin addicts in eight county jails with the drug naltrexone, which blocks the euphoric effects of heroin and other opiates. Those eligible for the program will receive naltrexone injections before leaving jail and can get more from county public health offices. Participants will also have access to housing, mental health, education, and employment counseling services.
Harm Reduction
Florida Opiate Overdose Reversal Drug Bill Signed Into Law. Gov. Rick Scott (R) last week signed into law the Emergency Treatment and Recovery Act, which allows certain healthcare providers to prescribe and dispense the opiate overdose reversal drug naloxone. The drug could be prescribed not only to users, but also to parents, friends, or family members. Police officers will also be allowed to carry the drug under the new law.
Asset Forfeiture
California Senate Overwhelmingly Approves Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform. The state Senate Thursday approved a civil asset forfeiture reform bill by a vote of 38-1. The bill, Senate Bill 443, filed by Sen. Holly Mitchell (D-Los Angeles), would require law enforcement agencies to adhere to state laws regarding civil asset forfeiture, rather than transferring cases to federal prosecutors and courts where property rights and evidentiary standards are much lower. The bill also provides for counsel for indigent property owners and protects innocent spouses and family members from loss of property. It now heads to the Assembly.
Pennsylvania ACLU Targets Civil Asset Forfeiture in New Report. The ACLU of Pennsylvania Wednesday released a new report, Guilty Property: How Law Enforcement Takes $1 Million in Cash from Innocent Philadelphians Every Year -- and Gets Away with It. The report is harshly critical of the Philadelphia DA's Office, which files roughly 6,000 forfeiture cases each year, the majority of them against black residents of the city. The vast majority of those cases involve small amounts of cash, with over half involving $192 or less. But the city also takes about 100 homes, 150 vehicles, and $4 million in cash each year.
Sentencing
Connecticut Senate Approves Drug Defelonization Bill. The state Senate Wednesday approved a bill that makes drug possession a misdemeanor for the first two offenses, but which also maintains the state's 1,500-foot drug-free school zone provision and its call for jail time, but not mandatory minimum sentences. The bill is Senate Bill 952, the Second Chance Act.
International
European Drug Agency Says No Sign of Marijuana Legalization Coming Soon. The European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction said today as it issued its annual report that it saw no sign of progress toward marijuana legalization on the continent, unlike in the United States. "In Europe I do not know any government, or parliamentary majority backing a government, that is currently seriously discussing cannabis legalization or regulation in a different way," said agency chief Wolfgang Gotz. "I don't see a discussion coming up of the level as it is in the Americas."
Israeli Marijuana Legalization Bill Filed. Freshman Knesset Member Yinon Magal of the Jewish Home Party has introduced a bill that would allow people to grow and possess small amounts of pot for personal use. While similar bills have gone nowhere in the past, this one has support from across the political spectrum.
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No decrim for New Hampshire, but maybe for Miami; a pair of Colorado congressmen file a federal marijuana-impaired driving bill that would require science-based policies, Louisiana is about to become the first Southern state with medical marijuana dispensaries, and more.
Miami-Dade cops are tired of arresting people for this. (horsma hampuforum/wikimedia.org)
Federal Marijuana Impaired Driving Bill Filed. US Reps. Jared Polis (D-CO) and Ed Perlmutter (D-CO) this week introduced the Limiting Unsafe Cannabis-Impaired Driving (LUCID) Act. "If passed, the law would include marijuana in the federal definition of impaired driving; it would make access to federal highway funding in states that have legalized recreational or medical marijuana contingent upon those states having laws against marijuana-impaired driving and methods for enforcing them; and it would mandate that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NTHSA) do the necessary testing and research on marijuana and driving to help states determine the most effective means of enforcement," the representatives said.
New Hampshire Senate Blocks Decriminalization Bill. The state Senate Thursday killed a decriminalization bill, even rejecting a last-minute compromise amendment to House Bill 618. The measure had overwhelmingly passed the House in March. Now, instead of a ticket and a fine, people caught with small amounts of pot in the state still face a misdemeanor charge punishable by up to a year in jail.
Miami-Dade Police Brass Support Local Decriminalization Move. Miami's top cops are getting behind a plan to make small-time marijuana possession an offense that could bring a $100 fine instead of a criminal charge. Under the plan, people possessing up to 20 grams would be hit with a civil citation instead of being arrested and jailed.
Medical Marijuana
Louisiana House Approves Medical Marijuana Bill; Only Senate Clean-Up Vote Remains. The House Thursday approved Senate Bill 143, which would allow for the use of non-smoked marijuana for medical reasons and which would set up a system of 10 dispensaries statewide. The bill has already passed the Senate, but now returns there for a final vote after the house amended the bill. Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) has said he will sign the bill.
Asset Forfeiture
Michigan House Passes Asset Forfeiture Reform Package. The House Thursday approved a bipartisan eight-bill package aimed at reining in law enforcement seizures of property without a criminal conviction. One bill would ban police from seizing the vehicle of someone trying to buy less than an ounce of pot, five bills would increase reporting requirements, while two bills would raise evidentiary standards in drug and public nuisance cases, making it easier for someone to get his property back if not charged with a crime. The package now goes to the state Senate.
Texas Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Bill Dies. The legislative session in Austin has ended without a bill to end civil asset forfeiture ever getting a House floor vote. House Bill 3171 was snuffed out by law enforcement opposition and never made it out of the State Affairs Committee.
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Chris Christie speaks out against marijuana legalization, Ohio officials try to block a legalization initiative, employee hair drug testing becomes the law in Louisiana, a former Colombian president calls for drug legalization and supplying some addicts with drugs, and more.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie stands firm against marijuana legalization. (nj.gov)
Chris Christie Would Roll Back Marijuana Legalization. In an interview on CBS's "Face the Nation" Sunday, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R), who is seeking the GOP presidential nomination, said he would move against states where marijuana is legal. Host John Dickerson asked if he would "return the federal prosecutions in these states like Colorado, Washington state" and Christie replied "Yes." Dickerson asked him again, and Christie said "Yes" again. Christie also called the drug war a failure and said he favored increased drug treatment.
Ohio Official Moves to Block Legalization Monopoly. State Auditor David Yost is floating a proposal designed to invalidate the legalization initiative most likely to make the ballot, or at least a provision of it. The controversial ResponsibleOhio measure would divvy up 10 commercial marijuana-growing facilities to people or groups who have already invested in the campaign. Yost has proposed a constitutional amendment that would require future initiatives that have provisions for "special interests" to undergo a two-stage process. If Yost's amendment passed with more votes than ResponsibleOhio's, it would prevent the monopoly provision of the ResponsibleOhio initiative from taking effect (and very possibly the entire initiative). Click on the link for more intricacies.
Medical Marijuana
No Medical Marijuana for Alabama. The legislative session ended last Thursday, and medical marijuana legislation died without action. Again.
Drug Testing
Louisiana Governor Signs Employee Hair Drug Testing Bill. Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) last Friday signed into law a bill that lets employers drug test employees' hair. Hair drug tests can detect use as far back as 90 days, as opposed to two or three days for urine tests (or two or three weeks for marijuana). While employee drug testing is allowed under state law, there were no regulations for hair drug testing in place until the passage of House Bill 379.
SAMHSA Seeks Comments on Hair Testing For Drugs. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA) has published a request for information about hair testing for drugs as it seeks to update and revise standards for laboratory drug testing procedures for federal workers. Click on the link for more details.
International
UAE Moves to Ban Five New Synthetic Drugs, Three Drug Plants. The United Arab Emirates is moving to ban synthetic cannabinoids, synthetic cathinones, phenethylamine, piperazine and tryptamine, as well as the kava, kratom, and salvia divinorum plants. The Health Ministry has proposed the move, but the Council of State must approve it.
Indonesian Experts Call for Evidence-Based Public Health Response to Drugs. A selection of Indonesian experts and academics has called on the government to commit itself to using scientifically proven public health approaches to drug use and to reject hard line but ineffective strategies, such as forced drug treatment and the use of the death penalty. Click on the link for more.
Colombia Ex-President Calls for Drug Legalization, State to Provide Drugs to Addicts. Former Colombian President Cesar Gaviria, long a critic of drug prohibition, told the Global Commission on Drug Policy last Thursday that some drugs should be legalized and others provided to addicts by the state. Such moves would allow governments to better control their use, he said. Click on the link for more.
(This article was prepared by StoptheDrugWar.org's lobbying arm, Drug Reform Coordination Network, which also pays the cost of maintaining this web site. DRCNet Foundation takes no positions on candidates for public office, in compliance with section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and does not pay for reporting that could be interpreted or misinterpreted as doing so.)
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Another GOP presidential contender weighs in on marijuana policy, the nation's harshest pot laws are about to get a little better, the AMA sticks up for medical marijuana, er, cannabis, doctors, and more.
Carly Fiorina says marijuana legalization is a states' rights issue. (wikimedia.org)
Carly Fiorina Says Marijuana Legalization a States' Right Issue. Republican presidential contender Carly Fiorina said Tuesday that while she personally opposed marijuana legalization, it should be up to the states. "I don't support legalized marijuana for a whole host of reasons, including the fact that this is a very complex chemical substance, and when we tell young people it is just like drinking a beer, we are not telling them the truth," she said. "But I think Colorado voters made a choice, I don't support their choice, but I do support their right to make that choice."
Louisiana Marijuana Sentencing Reforms Pass; Governor Expected to Sign. The state legislature Monday gave final approval to House Bill 149, which will make the state's draconian possession penalties somewhat less so. Gov. Bobby Jindal has signaled that he will sign the bill. For first offenders, the maximum penalty shrinks from six months to 15 days in jail; for second offenders, the penalty shrinks from a five-year felony to a six-month misdemeanor; for third-strikers, the penalty shrinks from a 20-year felony to a two-year felony. The bill also allows people charged with first-time possession to have their records expunged if they don't get busted again for pot within two years.
Oregon Legislators Have Tentative Pot Deal. Legislative negotiators have reached initial agreement on a way to move forward with implementing legalization. The deal foresees a possible 20% retail sales tax, with municipalities collecting up to 3%. The key question of whether municipalities can prohibit pot shops is being deferred to the courts or a work group charged with making recommendations for 2016. See this series of amendments for more details.
Medical Marijuana
AMA Calls for Protections for Medical Marijuana Doctors. Meeting at its annual convention in Chicago, the American Medical Association has passed a resolution called "Immunity from Federal Prosecution for Cannabis Prescribing." The resolution is "consistent with AMA policy to protect patient-physician communications about treatment options, supporting a public health approach rather than a law-enforcement focus, for individuals possessing cannabis for personal use and opposing government interference with the practice of medicine," the nation's largest doctors' group said.
Industrial Hemp
Nevada Governor Signs Hemp Research Bill. Gov. Bryan Sandoval last Friday signed into law Senate Bill 305, which will allow colleges, universities, and the state Agriculture Department to grow hemp for research purposes in a pilot program. But it doesn't allow commercial hemp production.
Law Enforcement
California School District Pays Out for Using Student as Drug Sting Bait. The Temecula Valley Unified School District will pay $200,000 to a family whose 14-year-old learning disabled son was recruited by an assistant principal to serve as bait in a drug sting. The sting took place even after the boy's mother objected. The boy's mother said the school's actions endangered her son, leading to him being labeled a snitch and to threats of physical violence against him. The sting was an effort to catch another student with marijuana.
(This article was prepared by StoptheDrugWar.org's lobbying arm, Drug Reform Coordination Network, which also pays the cost of maintaining this web site. DRCNet Foundation takes no positions on candidates for public office, in compliance with section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and does not pay for reporting that could be interpreted or misinterpreted as doing so.)
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Only one Ohio marijuana legalization initiative is still trying to make the ballot this year -- and looks like it will -- South Dakota could try for the third time to approve medical marijuana, a harm reduction measure passes in North Carolina, and more.
Marijuana PolicyOhio Legalization Initiative Backers Say They Have Enough Signatures to Qualify. Proponents of the ResponsibleOhio legalization initiative, which would divvy up commercial grows to only 10 investors, say they have collected enough signatures to qualify for the November 2015 ballot. The group's executive director, Ian James, said the group has collected more than 550,000 voter signatures. It needs 305,000 valid voter signatures to qualify, and it still has three more weeks of petitioning to go. The group said it also conducted a robust voter registration campaign along with its signature drive.
Two Ohio Legalization Initiatives Give Up on 2015. The Better for Ohio and Ohio Rights Group legalization initiatives are dead for this year after organizers for both groups conceded they will not have the required number of valid voter signatures by July 1 to qualify for the November 2015 ballot. Both groups will continue to gather signatures for 2016.
Medical Marijuana
South Dakota Medical Marijuana Initiative Filed. A state activist has filed the explanation for a medical marijuana initiative with the state attorney general's office. Once it is reviewed and approved, proponents will then have 180 days to come up with 13,871 valid voter signatures to qualify for the November 2016 ballot. Medical marijuana initiatives have twice been defeated in the state. Maybe the third time will be the charm.
Drug Treatment
New York Legislature Approves Bill to Encourage Medication-Assisted Treatment for Drug Court Participants. The state Senate Tuesday approved Senate Bill 4239-B, which bars drug courts from removing drug court participants for using drugs like methadone and buprenorphine as part of a drug treatment program. The measure has already passed the Assembly. Advocates are now pressing Gov. Cuomo (D) to sign the bill into law.
Harm Reduction
North Carolina Legislature Passes Bill Strengthening 911 Good Samaritan Law. The state legislature has approved Senate Bill 154, which strengthens the state's 911 Good Samaritan law by extending protections from arrest to include not revoking someone's probation or parole, not charging underage victims of alcohol overdoses with a crime, and by clarifying that pharmacists are permitted to dispense naloxone with a physician's standing order.
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