The Rise of Drug-Induced Homicide Laws

Many states have adopted drug-induced homicide laws that allow for criminal charges to be filed in cases of overdose deaths, aiming to hold individuals accountable for supplying drugs that lead to fatalities. These laws can include serious charges like manslaughter or murder if the drugs supplied result in death, reflecting an increasingly punitive approach to the opioid crisis. The podcast highlights that 34 states have enacted some form of these laws, with the majority established in the last decade, mirroring a national shift in addressing the opioid epidemic. Recent high-profile cases, including the overdose of actor Matthew Perry, have brought further attention to the implications of these statutes and the urgency they impart on law enforcement.