Judiciary Committee
I am Tony Grotrian, a father, a grandfather, a great grandfather, and
in those roles I am here today to ask for your support in getting H.B.
249 “Aaron’s Law” passed.
Aaron Anton Grotrian was my grandson who died on August, 28, 2009
of an accidental heroin overdose when those with him fled the scene
and made no calls to 911 for the help that may have saved his life. His
body was discovered hours later by his sixteen year-old sister when
she called him for supper.
This happened two weeks after his daughters first birthday party, and
before he could get the help he wanted and needed to fight his chronic
brain disease of addiction. That was the last day I got to speak to my
grandson. Two weeks later his daughter sits on my lap at a funeral
service for her daddy. Over 500 signatures filled the funeral home’s
registration book that day.
Governor Kasich in his State of the State Message for 2013 said: “I
can’t look at the disabled, I can’t look at the poor, I can’t look at the
mentally ill, I can’t look at the addicted and think we ought to ignore
them…” And he went on to say “We can help them.” I say “Yes
Governor, we can and we must.” It was after hearing this that I went
to my Representative Robert Sprague and asked him if he would be
willing to sponsor a Good Samaritan Bill for Ohio. This he did and the
bill was H.B. 363 last year. I was here at that time to testify on its
behalf before your committee.
Overdose death rates nationwide more than doubled between 1999
and 2013. According to the Centers for Disease Control 43,982 people
died from drug overdoses in 2013 an average of 120 people a day.
And our death rate in Ohio continues to rise. Even in my home county
the drug-related overdose deaths doubled in 2014 over 2013 and are
in line to double again in 2015.
I’m here today to plead for those whose lives are in jeopardy, those
whose lives can still be saved, those who can recover if given the
chance. Addiction has been named as a chronic brain disease that is
treatable. But we can’t treat this disease at all if the user is dead.
What is that human life worth? Is it worth spending our time right
here, right now, talking about something you can do, something in
your power to help save lives? The tragedy is that many of these
deaths could have been prevented.
As of August 2015, 44 States have passed a Naloxone Access Law, and
32 States have passed a 911 Good Samaritan Law. These laws are
saving lives all over our Nation. With our state going from 5th place to
the 3rd worst state in the U. S. when it comes to accidental drug
overdose deaths, can a 911 Law make a difference? I think it can.
Witnesses to heart attacks rarely think twice about calling 911, but
witnesses to an overdose often hesitate to call for help or, in many
cases, simply don’t make the call. The most common reason people
cite for not calling 911 is fear of police involvement. Yet I’ve been told
by those in law enforcement that they are only there in an effort to
save a life.
Delaware became the 14th state last year to enact such a bill.
Delaware’s bipartisan bill was not held hostage by fear that drug
dealers would escape punishment. It passed because those in Del.
believe that no person should die because of fear of criminal charges.
According to Drug Policy Alliance, 88 percent of people who use
opioids said they would be more likely and less afraid to call 911 in the
event of a future overdose after learning of such laws.
Today, 911 Good Samaritan policies are in effect on over 90 U.S.
college campuses and have proven to encourage students to call for
help in the event of an alcohol or other drug overdose. The policy
prioritizes saving lives over arrests for possession.
More Ohioans died of drug overdoses in 2014 than any year on record
with 2,482 fatalities, a huge 17.6% jump. I quote: “Those are human
beings behind those numbers, and those people have families. There’s
no one thing that will eradicate this issue.” said Andrea Boxill, deputy
director of the Governor’s Cabinet Opiate Action Team. And the
numbers are rising.
While overdose deaths in the state’s two largest counties, Franklin and
Cuyahoga, dropped slightly last year, other areas more than made up
the difference with deaths shooting up in Montgomery, Butler,
Hamilton, Lucas and Summit counties.
As an example: The coroner’s statistics from Butler County show
heroin-related deaths jumped in two years from 30 to 103 in 2014
with 86 recorded already through the first six months of this year.
Nearly 1,700 drug-exposed babies were born in Ohio in 2013, a nearly
nine-fold increase from 2004 according to the Ohio Dept. of Health.
This health issue is not just fueled by heroin, that is just one type of
opioid killing Ohioans every day. In fact Ohio is losing its residents to
drug-related overdoses to the tune of six a day or one every 4 hours.
This bill is some protection to those using other drugs too.
Years ago I adopted a credo as my own:
I am only one, but still I am one;
I cannot do everything, but still I can do something.
And because I cannot do everything,
I will not refuse to do the something I can do.
In closing, let it be known that I felt I was alone in my quest to save
lives last year, but the story is different this year.
More and more grieving American parents are citing the cause of death
in their obituary notices as a “heroin overdose.” Millions are angry,
frustrated and feel no one recognizes the reality and the fear that our
children could die.
Approximately 85 million Americans say they have been affected a
great deal by addiction as it crosses all social and economic
boundaries, and in one way or another those that have signed our
petition to get H.B. 249 “Aaron’s Law” passed have been affected by
this health epidemic too.
Today I have with me the signatures of more than ______ supporters
from around our great state that feel and think as I do. This was
something I could do, and I am no longer only one !