Document Type
Comment
Subject Area
WY Law Division
Abstract
This Comment asks whether Wyoming’s current immunity framework for reporting overdoses truly reduces delays in emergency treatment when distance, weather, and limited emergency medical service (EMS) capacity already regularly extend response times. It proposes that by amending two Wyoming statutes and funding statewide education, the goal of reducing barriers to calling 9-1-1 to report overdoses can be better achieved, and residents better protected. To support these proposed changes, Part II provides a concise account of relevant Wyoming statutory protections. Part III proposes specific amendments that would address the on-the-ground challenges of the Wyoming emergency response system. These adjustments will utilize available resources—with the known characteristics of Wyoming—to best further the legislative goal of reducing preventable deaths. Last, Parts IV and V address common misconceptions regarding the proposed lifesaving legislation, why they fail to undermine the need for change, and why this is the most efficient and ethical route for Wyoming to pursue in its fight against the opioid epidemic.
DOI
10.59643/1942-9916.1543
Rights
Copyright © 2026 by the Wyoming Law Review unless otherwise noted. Except as otherwise provided, copies of any article may be made for classroom use, provided that: (1) Copies are distributed at or below cost; (2) The author and journal are identified; (3) Proper notice of copyright is affixed to each copy; and (4) The Wyoming Law Review is notified of the use.
Recommended Citation
Shoshana Sangros,
Fear, Delay, and Preventable Death: Rethinking Wyoming's Legislative Framework to Reduce Barriers in Overdose Emergency Reporting,
26 Wyo. L. Rev.
447
(2026).
Available at: https://scholarship.law.uwyo.edu/wlr/vol26/iss2/7