SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A bill making its way through the Illinois House is aimed at making it easier to detect fentanyl.
The bill would allow for fentanyl test strips be sold over-the-counter by pharmacists and retailers. County health departments would be able to issue the strips for free.
Representative Bill Hauter (R-Morton), a doctor himself, says the bill is about prevention.
“It’s prevention of the sudden death in a lot of young people who use this drug,” Hauter said. “People who aren’t sick, and have a high risk of sudden death.”
Hauter adds that the test strips provide a simple answer when used.
“The test strips are a yes or no test strip. Do I have fentanyl in my drug, or do I not? And so, it’s a way for them to quickly find out if their drug of choice has been laced or cut with fentanyl,” Hauter said.
The bill passed out of committee, while similar legislation passed the full House this week. In that bill, trained drug overdose responders would be able to give out the strips.
Another bill proposed by the House GOP aims at increasing penalties for selling fentanyl laced drugs, but has not gained much traction.
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