Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has signed into law a measure that encourages a witness or victim of a drug overdose to call 911 for medical help by protecting them from certain drug prosecutions.

New York joins Washington state and New Mexico, which have adopted similar “Good Samaritan 911” measures.

Under New York’s law, a person who calls 911 to report an overdose would not be charged or prosecuted for drug possession, possession of drug paraphernalia or certain alcohol-related offenses.

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