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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>71520</law_id><section_number>18.2-251.03</section_number><catch_line>Arrest and prosecution when experiencing or reporting an overdose or act of sexual violence</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="18.2">Crimes and Offenses Generally</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="7">Crimes Involving Health and Safety</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="1">Drugs</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> For purposes of this section:
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Act of sexual violence</span>&#x201D; means an alleged violation of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Crimes against nature; penalty" href="/18.2-361/">18.2-361</a>, <a class="law" title="Taking indecent liberties with children; penalties" href="/18.2-370/">18.2-370</a>, or <a class="law" title="Taking indecent liberties with child by person in custodial or supervisory relationship; penalties" href="/18.2-370.1/">18.2-370.1</a> or the <span class="dictionary">laws</span> pertaining to criminal sexual <span class="dictionary">assault</span> pursuant to Article 7 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Rape" href="/18.2-61/">18.2-61</a> et seq.) of Chapter 4.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Overdose</span>&#x201D; means a life-threatening condition resulting from the consumption or use of a controlled substance, alcohol, or any combination of such substances. <a id="paragraph-257809" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-251.03/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> No individual shall be subject to <span class="dictionary">arrest</span> or <span class="dictionary">prosecution</span> for the unlawful purchase, <span class="dictionary">possession</span>, or consumption of alcohol pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Purchasing or possessing alcoholic beverages unlawful in certain cases; venue; exceptions; penalty; forfeiture; deferred proceedings; treatment and education programs and services" href="/4.1-305/">4.1-305</a>, unlawful purchase, <span class="dictionary">possession</span>, or consumption of marijuana pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Possession of marijuana or marijuana products unlawful in certain cases; venue; exceptions; penalties; treatment and education programs and services" href="/4.1-1105.1/">4.1-1105.1</a>, <span class="dictionary">involuntary manslaughter</span> pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Involuntary manslaughter; certain drug offenses" href="/18.2-36.3/">18.2-36.3</a>, <span class="dictionary">possession</span> of a controlled substance pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Possession of controlled substances unlawful" href="/18.2-250/">18.2-250</a>, intoxication in public pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Intoxication in public; penalty; transportation of public inebriates to detoxification center" href="/18.2-388/">18.2-388</a>, or <span class="dictionary">possession</span> of controlled paraphernalia pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Possession or distribution of controlled paraphernalia; definition of controlled paraphernalia; evidence; exceptions" href="/54.1-3466/">54.1-3466</a> if: <a id="paragraph-257810" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-251.03/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> Such individual (i) in good faith, seeks or obtains emergency medical attention (a) for himself, if he is experiencing an <span class="dictionary">overdose</span>, or (b) for another individual, if such other individual is experiencing an <span class="dictionary">overdose</span>; (ii) is experiencing an <span class="dictionary">overdose</span> and another individual, in good faith, seeks or obtains emergency medical attention for such individual, by contemporaneously reporting such <span class="dictionary">overdose</span> to a firefighter, as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Coverage of firefighters and law-enforcement officers in off-duty capacity" href="/65.2-102/">65.2-102</a>, emergency medical services personnel, as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/32.1-111.1/">32.1-111.1</a>, a <span class="dictionary">law</span>-enforcement officer, as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="(Effective July 1, 2026) Definitions" href="/9.1-101/">9.1-101</a>, or an emergency 911 system; or (iii) in good faith, renders emergency care or assistance, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or the administration of naloxone or other opioid antagonist for <span class="dictionary">overdose</span> reversal, to an individual experiencing an <span class="dictionary">overdose</span> while another individual seeks or obtains emergency medical attention in accordance with this subdivision; <a id="paragraph-257811" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-251.03/#B1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> Such individual remains at the scene of the <span class="dictionary">overdose</span> or at any alternative location to which he or the person requiring emergency medical attention has been transported until a <span class="dictionary">law</span>-enforcement officer responds to the report of an <span class="dictionary">overdose</span>. If no <span class="dictionary">law</span>-enforcement officer is present at the scene of the <span class="dictionary">overdose</span> or at the alternative location, then such individual shall cooperate with <span class="dictionary">law</span> enforcement as otherwise set forth herein; <a id="paragraph-257812" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-251.03/#B2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> Such individual identifies himself to the <span class="dictionary">law</span>-enforcement officer who responds to the report of the <span class="dictionary">overdose</span>; and <a id="paragraph-257813" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-251.03/#B3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B4" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> The <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> for the <span class="dictionary">prosecution</span> of an <span class="dictionary">offense</span> enumerated in this subsection was obtained as a result of the individual seeking or obtaining emergency medical attention or rendering emergency care or assistance. <a id="paragraph-257814" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-251.03/#B4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> No individual shall be subject to <span class="dictionary">arrest</span> or <span class="dictionary">prosecution</span> for the unlawful purchase, <span class="dictionary">possession</span>, or consumption of alcohol pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Purchasing or possessing alcoholic beverages unlawful in certain cases; venue; exceptions; penalty; forfeiture; deferred proceedings; treatment and education programs and services" href="/4.1-305/">4.1-305</a>, unlawful purchase, <span class="dictionary">possession</span>, or consumption of marijuana pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Possession of marijuana or marijuana products unlawful in certain cases; venue; exceptions; penalties; treatment and education programs and services" href="/4.1-1105.1/">4.1-1105.1</a>, <span class="dictionary">possession</span> of a controlled substance pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Possession of controlled substances unlawful" href="/18.2-250/">18.2-250</a>, intoxication in public pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Intoxication in public; penalty; transportation of public inebriates to detoxification center" href="/18.2-388/">18.2-388</a>, or <span class="dictionary">possession</span> of controlled paraphernalia pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Possession or distribution of controlled paraphernalia; definition of controlled paraphernalia; evidence; exceptions" href="/54.1-3466/">54.1-3466</a> if: <a id="paragraph-257815" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-251.03/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> Such individual, in good faith, seeks or obtains assistance for himself or another individual from emergency medical services personnel, as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/32.1-111.1/">32.1-111.1</a>, a health care provider, as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/8.01-581.1/">8.01-581.1</a>, or a <span class="dictionary">law</span>-enforcement officer, as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="(Effective July 1, 2026) Definitions" href="/9.1-101/">9.1-101</a>, and seeks to report an <span class="dictionary">act of sexual violence</span> committed against himself or another individual; <a id="paragraph-257816" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-251.03/#C1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> Such individual identifies himself to the <span class="dictionary">law</span>-enforcement officer who responds to the report of the <span class="dictionary">act of sexual violence</span>; and <a id="paragraph-257817" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-251.03/#C2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> The <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> for the <span class="dictionary">prosecution</span> of an <span class="dictionary">offense</span> enumerated in this subsection was obtained as a result of the individual seeking or obtaining medical attention, rendering care or assistance, or reporting to <span class="dictionary">law</span> enforcement.
				This subsection shall not apply to an individual who is alleged to have committed the <span class="dictionary">act of sexual violence</span>. <a id="paragraph-257818" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-251.03/#C3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> The provisions of this section shall not apply to any person who seeks or obtains emergency medical attention for himself or another individual, to a person experiencing an <span class="dictionary">overdose</span> or who has experienced an <span class="dictionary">act of sexual violence</span> when another individual seeks or obtains emergency medical attention for him, or to a person who renders emergency care or assistance to an individual experiencing an <span class="dictionary">overdose</span> or who has experienced an <span class="dictionary">act of sexual violence</span> while another person seeks or obtains emergency medical attention during the execution of a <span class="dictionary">search warrant</span> or during the conduct of a lawful search or a lawful <span class="dictionary">arrest</span>. <a id="paragraph-257819" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-251.03/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> This section does not establish protection from <span class="dictionary">arrest</span> or <span class="dictionary">prosecution</span> for any individual or <span class="dictionary">offense</span> other than those listed in subsection B or C. However, any individual immune to <span class="dictionary">arrest</span> or <span class="dictionary">prosecution</span> under this section shall not have his <span class="dictionary">bail</span>, <span class="dictionary">probation</span>, furlough, <span class="dictionary">supervised release</span>, <span class="dictionary">suspended sentence</span>, or <span class="dictionary">parole</span> revoked for the behavior immune from <span class="dictionary">arrest</span> or <span class="dictionary">prosecution</span> under the provisions of this section. <a id="paragraph-257820" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-251.03/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="F"><p><span class="prefix-number">F.</span> No <span class="dictionary">law</span>-enforcement officer acting in good faith shall be found liable for <span class="dictionary">false arrest</span> if it is later determined that the person arrested was immune from <span class="dictionary">prosecution</span> under this section. <a id="paragraph-257821" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-251.03/#F"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2015, cc. 418, 436; 2019, c. 626; 2020, c. 1016; 2021 Sp. Sess. I, cc. 29, 550, 551; 2025, cc. 396, 719, 721.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
