On Campus Blog

College-age drinkers to get “amnesty” in emergencies

You might want to make that phone call now. (www.guigo.eu)
drunk-person
You might want to make that phone call now. (www.guigo.eu)

University of Minnesota student Matt Forstie, chairman of the Minnesota Student Legislative Coalition, tells the Daily Circuit this morning what a change in the law tomorrow will mean for underage drinkers:

"It says, if you call 911 in good faith for a medical emergency, you will not receive prosecution for underage drinking if you're the person that calls 911, if you're the person that receives medical attention as a result of that call, or -- there's some language that allows for one or two other people that were assisting in the situation ... to receive immunity as well."'

This past session, the Legislature passed the "medical amnesty" law out of concern that underage drinkers were not calling for help in an emergency out of fear of being prosecuted.

You can listen to the interview above, read about it here and read my story about the law from earlier this year.