Governor Signs Opioid Anatagonist Bill into Law

At a ceremonial signing Monday, Governor Tomblin signed Senate Bill 335 into law.

Short titled the Opioid Antagonist Act, the bill allows emergency responders, medical personnel, family and friends to administer a drug that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose and can save a person’s life. 

Opioids are drugs like heroine, morphine and oxycodone, drugs that are commonly abused in West Virginia.

“With the crackdown we’ve had on prescription drugs, it seems that street drugs are becoming more and more prevalent in West Virginia and heroine is the fastest growing one,” Tomblin said.

Tomblin said more than 500 people overdose in West Virginia each year, and he hopes this bill will prevent similar deaths from happening in the future.

A companion bill that would grant immunity for some minor drugs charges to people who seek help for someone experiencing an overdose is stalled in a House Committee.

Tomblin said he’d like to see the Good Samartian Law make it to his desk.