(Sandusky, OH) Thousands of Erie County residents are signing a petition that calls for criminal charges against overdose victims.
A group calling itself Erie County Scanner Uncensored has raked in more than 110-thousand signatures so far. The petition's creator says criminal charges and jail time should be a deterrent for repeat victims who require EMS assistance. Some communities in Ohio are getting tired of the high taxpayer cost of constantly responding to overdose victims and the strain it is putting on their budgets.
Some law enforcement experts say, however, treatment remains a better, less expensive and longer-lasting option than jail.