9-1-1.  We all know that those numbers are the surest way to get help in any kind of emergency.  At least, if you’re American and born after 1968 (when AT&T first decided to use 9-1-1 as an emergency telephone number), which I would wager is true for most undergraduates at Cornell, you do.  So then why, on so many occasions, do undergrads across the country hesitate to call 9-1-1 when one of their friends shows some of the basic signs of alcohol poisoning?

On campus, we are all protected by Cornell’s Medical Amnesty Protocol (I’ll call it MAP from now on…read more here), which has been well publicized and “marketed” across campus.  I’m sure you’ve all seen the “Get Out of JA Free!” posters with the Monopoly Man.  However, in Collegetown, where most dangerous drinking takes place, students fear underage possession charges, among other legal repercussions.  Well, fear no longer.  New York State now has a medical amnesty program of its own.  In order to make students aware of newfound amnesty in Collegetown and other off-campus locations, I worked with Gannett to design a stylish decal (the fancy word for sticker) that could be displayed on front doors, refrigerators, or bathroom mirrors as a simple reminder that calling 9-1-1 is the right thing to do if a friend is sick, and that you don’t have to worry about underage possession of alcohol, serving to minors, and other common charges.  See below for a digital version of the decal, and for the letter that has been shared with landlords across Collegetown.  Look out for these packages soon, either directly from your landlord, or from the SA’s door-to-door team.  Also, check out the larger medical amnesty ads on TCAT busses and around local businesses.

As always, feel free to reach out to me as one of your At-Large Representatives, and please let me know if you’d like to be a part of our Medical Amnesty Decal Distribution Team.

–John

(732) 275-2986