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Overdose brings light to little-known law, the Joshua Ashley-Pauley Act

"In terms of people out partying and they took drugs and they're in trouble and need help, we want people to make that call."

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) - According to TMZ, Demi Lovato was rushed to the hospital after she was treated with Narcan in her home for a drug overdose on some sort of opioid.

TMZ reported that when police and EMT's arrived to help her, "partygoers were nowhere in sight," which brings light to Act 1114 passed in Arkansas in 2015, the Joshua Ashley-Pauley Act.

Senator Jason Rapert said Joshua passed out on a couch in a home two blocks from a local hospital.

“Joshua was a student at UCA who had been out with some friends and overdosed on some drugs. He laid there and when his friends decided to finally get help, he was basically dead on arrival,” Rapert said.

Rapert said in a lot of cases people involved in drug situations don't call for help in fear of getting in trouble, resulting in an increase in drug deaths across the state.

Lawmakers wanted to eliminate that fear.

“According to the Joshua Ashley-Pauley Act you will not be prosecuted for just using but that doesn’t include charges related to other things. In terms of people out partying and they took drugs and they're in trouble and need help, we want people to make that call,” he said.

The signs that could classify a drug overdose include extreme physical illness, decreased level of consciousness, respiratory depression, coma, mania and death.

Rapert said when this act was passed, drug overdose was the leading cause of death in people between the ages of 25 and 64 in the U.S.

“This is a national crisis and a crisis in our state. It's a crisis we can take action in and save people's lives by making that phone call and asking for help and that's what we hope you do,” he said.

Rapert said the law also applies if you call 911 for yourself.

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