WATCH: IL bill would allow illicit drug use at overdose prevention sites | Illinois

(The Center Square) – Illinois lawmakers are considering a controversial piece of legislation that would explore the creation of drug overdose prevention sites.

People are allowed to use illicit drugs at the sites while under the supervision of staffers who will be there to respond to overdoses. They are currently being used in New York City, and Rhode Island is the first state to authorize their use. 

The opioid epidemic has hit Illinois and the rest of the country hard, and became increasingly deadly when fentanyl appeared on the scene. As a result, Illinois Republicans have called for increased penalties for anyone dealing in fentanyl. 

“While we are committed as a community to working with law enforcement, we also don’t want to scare people away from these sites,” said John Werning, executive director of Chicago Recovery Alliance. 

House Bill 2929 sponsor, state Rep. La Shawn Ford, D-Chicago, said if signed into law, no tax dollars would be used. 

“The opioid settlement fund will be the fund that we will use if this becomes law to fund the program, so there will be no general revenue funds,” said Ford. 

The bill received bipartisan support in the Mental Health and Addiction Committee. State Rep. Bill Hauter, R-Morton, said he was torn over the proposal before voting in favor. 

“The law and order and conservative part of me hated it because of the usual reasons, but I just looked at this as a physician, and we’ve got to do something different,” said Hauter.  

Hauter believes the overdose prevention sites could help some drug users get clean.

“Most of these people are not trying to get high anymore, they just don’t want to withdraw, and so if we can get them on naloxone, these places might be the place where they can get treatment and get on the road to recovery,” said Hauter.  

The bill is now headed to the House floor for consideration.