Middletown, Oh. — A Middletown Ohio city councilman is proposing a “two chance” policy for drug addicts.
Dan Picard says each time paramedics respond to an overdose victim a citation is issued requiring a court appearance or community service. When that subject does not show up in court or fails to complete community service on two occasions, the third time that person overdoses no help would be dispatched.
City officials are exploring the legal implications of the proposal before moving forward.
Picard says the idea is not a solution but a response to limited resources. He notes that the city paid $1.2 million in 2016 to respond to 535 opiate overdoses, 77 of those were fatal. This year the cost is expected to rise above $2 million.
Middletown has the fourth highest overdose rate in Ohio.
