Medical Amnesty Law Unclear to UGA Students

ATHENS — Students at the University of Georgia may be unsure about what a “medical amnesty law” is.

The law’s purpose is to provide immunity for some people who call seeking medical help if they or a friend needs medical attention for an alcohol-related incident or a drug overdose.

The University of Florida and the University of Alabama both have medical amnesty policies to promote safe and healthy environments for all students. Neither the state of Florida or Alabama have statewide amnesty laws. However, both major universities have amnesty polices for their students.

Mark Rosten is in charge of safety and security for St. Mary’s Hospital and Health Care System in Athens. He said St. Mary’s is not required to report underage people who come to the hospital to be treated for alcohol-related incidents. Even if the person being treated is underage, Rosten said the hospital will not inform the police.

Grady Newsource reporter Sophie Archer is waiting for more information from the Athens-Clarke County Police Department about the numbers of underage drinking arrests in Athens. Grady Newsource will post more updates as the information comes in.