CHICAGO (WAND) - Gov. JB Pritzker signed several measures looking to combat the national opioid crisis.
The measures include the following:
Senate Bill 2535, which takes effect on Jan. 1, 2023, says pharmacists and those who prescribe opioids will be required to tell patients about the addictive nature of the drugs and inform them that they can receive an opioid antagonist if they want.
House Bill 4408 takes effect Jan. 1, 2024, and stops insurers and Medicaid from charging a copay for Naloxone, which can be expensive and inaccessible. The measure builds on Illinois' $13 million investment from 2021 to expand access to the lifesaving treatment.
Senate Bill 2565 takes effect immediately and allows circuit courts to implement drug court treatment programs. Courts will include more harm-reduction services and give a state's attorney the option to file motions that vacate and expunge convictions and records for people who successfully finish these programs.
House Bill 4556 takes effect immediately and expands access for pharmacists and other health care professionals to distribute fentanyl testing strips to help reduce opioid overdoses. It ensures supplies can be stored without fear of prosecution in a licensed pharmacy, hospital or other health care facility. Under current law, testing supplies for detecting fentanyl are often classified as illegal drug paraphernalia.
“Deaths from opioid overdoses are as tragic as they are preventable,” said Pritzker. “By deploying harm reduction strategies and expanding drug-court treatment programs rooted in rehabilitation, we can save countless lives. Drug dependency is not a choice—it’s a disorder and should be treated as such. These bills mandate the tools, resources, and compassion necessary to help Illinoisans with substance use disorders while addressing the opioid crisis head on.”
“Fentanyl overdoses are killing far too many Illinoisans, as this synthetic, cheap, and deadly opioid is cut into everything from other drugs to diet pills,” said State Rep. Will Guzzardi (D-Chicago). "With the enactment of HB 4556, we can get test strips into the hands of any Illinoisan who needs one to detect the presence of fentanyl and prevent accidental overdose deaths. This bill will save lives, and I'm grateful to Governor Pritzker for signing it into law."
“More people are dying of opioid overdoses in Illinois than ever before,” said State Sen. Laura Ellman (D-Naperville). “Simply put, the more accessible naloxone is, the more lives will be saved. I’m proud to see this legislation become law.”
Data from the Illinois Department of Public Health shows there were 3,013 deaths in Illinois from opioid overdoses in 2021.
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