Medical Amnesty for Alcohol Emergencies

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Weatherford College encourages students to be active bystanders when an emergency arises. This involves taking responsible action when noticing a situation/emergency, providing help, and pursuing appropriate assistance. This also means working to prevent emergencies by choosing to conduct yourself responsibly and encouraging fellow students to do the same.

Emergencies include but are not limited to:

Alcohol overdose or adverse reactions
Alcohol-related sexual assault or violence
Alcohol-related injuries

Alcohol poisoning is a serious and life-threatening medical emergency by drinking a harmful amount of alcohol. Students who choose to drink as well as those who choose not drink may encounter alcohol related emergencies during their time at Weatherford College.

Signs and symptoms of alcohol poisoning may include:

Mental Confusion
Unresponsive
Snoring/Gasping for Air
Throwing Up
Hypothermia
Erratic Breathing
Loss of Consciousness
Paleness/Blueness of skin

Appropriate Action is expected but not limited to:

Call 911 on campus or off campus.
DO YOU WANT TO ADD CAMPUS PD PHONE NUMBER??!!
Stay with the person and cooperate with all emergency personnel.

What to expect?

Students will be referred to the Associate Dean of Student Development to be evaluated for amnesty.
Situations will be evaluated in a case-by-case setting to determine further action taken.

This policy, in congruence with the state amnesty policy Texas 911 Lifeline Law (S.B. 1331), provides amnesty for minor conduct offenses in order to encourage students to seek help during alcohol related emergencies. The Medical Amnesty provides protection against formal disciplinary action by the College, whereas, the state law provides protection against legal action.

Amnesty applies to the following conduct charges:

Possession of alcohol by a minor
Unauthorized possession or use of alcohol by a minor
Consumption of alcohol by a minor
Intoxication as a result of using alcohol
Amnesty does not apply to more serious offenses (e.g., hazing, physical or sexual assaults, harassment, vandalism, providing alcohol to minors, fake-ID’s
Amnesty may not be provided in the case of repeated incidents.

Who is it for?

Amnesty may be granted to the student(s) calling for help, as well as to the student experiencing the alcohol emergency.

For those in need of assistance
For those that offer assistance

Not for student organizations and groups affiliated with events, such as parties, at which an incident occurs.

There are limitations to this program and amnesty is not automatic. Whether or not you receive amnesty is under the discretion of the Office of Student Services. If abuse of the medical amnesty policy is suspected you may be subject to judicial sanctions.

Medical Amnesty Policy

For Those In Need of Assistance:

Weatherford College provides amnesty to students who may be hesitant to report to College officials because they fear that they may be accused of minor policy violations, such as underage drinking at the time of the incident. Educational options will be explored, but no conduct proceedings or conduct record will result.

For Those Who Offer Assistance:

To encourage students to offer help and assistance to others, Weatherford College pursues a policy of amnesty for minor violations when students offer help to others in need. At the discretion of the Associate Dean of Student Development, amnesty may also be extended on a case-by-case basis to the individual who is receiving assistance. Educational options will be explored, but no conduct proceedings or conduct record will result.

Abuse of amnesty requests can result in a decision by the Assistant Vice President of Student Services not to extend amnesty to the same person repeatedly.

Symptoms:

Alcohol poisoning signs and symptoms include:

Confusion
Vomiting
Seizures
Slow breathing (less than eight breaths a minute)
Irregular breathing (a gap of more than 10 seconds between breaths)
Blue-tinged skin or pale skin
Low body temperature (hypothermia)
Passing out (unconsciousness) and can’t be awakened

It is not necessary to experience all these signs and symptoms before seeking help. An individual who is unconscious or can’t be awakened is at risk of dying.

Source: Alcohol Poisoning by Mayo Clinic

Know the Signs:

The Signs of Alcohol Poisoning

If you suspect that someone has alcohol poisoning, even if you don’t see the classic signs and symptoms, seek immediate medical care. In an emergency, follow these suggestions

If the person is unconscious, breathing less than eight times a minute or has repeated, uncontrolled vomiting, call 911 immediately. Keep in mind that even when someone is unconscious or has stopped drinking, alcohol continues to be released into the bloodstream and the level of alcohol in the body continues to rise. Never assume that a person will “sleep off” alcohol poisoning.
If the person is conscious, call 800-222-1222 (in the U.S.) and you’ll automatically be routed to your local poison control center. The staff at the poison control center or emergency call center can instruct you as to whether you should take the person directly to a hospital. All calls to poison control centers are confidential.
Be prepared to provide information. If you know, be sure to tell the hospital or emergency personnel the kind and amount of alcohol the person drank and when. Don’t leave an unconscious person alone. While waiting for help, don’t try to make the person vomit.
Alcohol poisoning affects the way your gag reflex works. That means someone with alcohol poisoning may choke on his or her own vomit or accidentally inhale (aspirate) vomit into the lungs which could cause a fatal lung injury.

Source: Know the Signs by AwareAwakeAlive

Alcohol and Drug Penalties

Texas State Law

OFFENSE	CLASS/DEGREE	MINIMUM PUNISHMENT	MAXIMUM PUNISHMENT	FOR MINORS
Manufacture or delivery of controlled substance (drugs)	State Jail Felony to First Degree Felony	Up to 2 years in jail and a fine of up to $10,000	10 years to life in jail and a fine of up to $250,000	Same
Possession of controlled substance (drugs)	State Jail Felony to First Degree Felony	Up to 2 years in jail and a fine of up to $10,000	15 years to life in jail and a fine of up to $250,000	Same
Possession or delivery of marijuana	Class B Misdemeanor to First Degree Felony	180 days in jail or a fine of up to $2,000, or both	5 years to life in jail and a fine of up to $250,000	Same
Driving while intoxicated (alcohol or other drugs, or both)	Class B Misdemeanor to Third Degree Felony BAC – .08	72 hours to 180 days in jail or a fine of up to $2,000, or both	2 to 10 years in jail and a fine of up to $10,000	Any detectable amount
Public intoxication	Class C Misdemeanor	Fine of up to $500	Fine of $250 to $2,000, jail time of up to 180 days, community service of 8 to 40 hours, driver’s license suspension for 30 to 180 days, and attend one alcohol awareness class	Begin with maximum punishment
Purchase, consumption, or possession of alcohol by a minor	Class C Misdemeanor	Attend one alcohol awareness class, 20-40 hours community service, fine up to $500, 30-day driver’s license suspension	180 day driver’s license suspension, up to $2,000 fine, 180 day jail term	N/A
Sale of alcohol to a minor	Class A Misdemeanor	Fine up to $4,000, up to one year in jail, or both, 180-day driver’s license suspension	Fine up to $4,000, up to one year in jail, or both, 180-day driver’s license suspension	N/A

OFFENSE	MINIMUM PUNISHMENT	MAXIMUM PUNISHMENT
Manufacturing, distribution, or dispelling of illegal drugs	Imprisonment up to 3 years or a fine of $250,000, or both	Life imprisonment (no parole) and fine up to $8 million (individual) or $20 million (other)
Possession of illegal drugs	Imprisonment for up to 1 year and a fine of not less than $1,000	5 to 20 years imprisonment and fine of at least $5,000 plus investigation/court costs
Distribution of drugs to a person under 21 years of age	Double the federal penalty for distribution of drugs	Triple the federal penalty for distribution of drugs