Studies show that many overdose victims or witnesses will not immediately seek emergency medical assistance for fear that they will be arrested for a drug-related or other criminal offense. To encourage victims and bystanders to seek immediate medical attention, most states have adopted Good Samaritan fatal overdose prevention (GSFOP) laws. These laws grant some form of protection to witnesses and often extend to victims. This fact sheet provides an overview of these laws in the United States and a description of the effectiveness of those laws.