RESOLUTION CALLING ON THE ILLINOIS GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO ALLOW OVERDOSE PREVENTION SITES
WHEREAS, Over the past year, the opioid epidemic has taken the lives of over 2,000 people in Cook County; and
WHEREAS, Every year the State, County, and City spend millions of dollars to combat opioid addiction - including treatment programs, distributing of test strips, and providing naloxone to reverse the effects of overdose - but the toll from opioid addiction has continued to increase since 2015, when there were at least 647 overdose deaths in Cook County; and
WHEREAS, Many cities around the world are establishing overdose prevention sites where individuals can test drugs before use and obtain clean needles, and staff are available to intervene and administer naloxone if an individual overdoses; and
WHEREAS, These overdose prevention sites have a proven track record of preventing fatal overdoses and reducing health care costs in Canada and Australia, and there are over 100 such sites worldwide, including two sites in New York City; and
WHEREAS, In the first two months after the New York City overdose prevention sites opened, they logged 3,316 visits and the staff intervened with life-saving naloxone administration 76 times; and
WHEREAS, House Bill 110, filed by State Representative LaShawn Ford, would authorize the Illinois Department of Human Services to license and regulate "safe consumption and overdose prevention services" programs and would provide criminal and civil immunity for program participants, program staff, and property owners for participation in a licensed program; and
WHEREAS, While there are various federal, State, and City laws that may impede the establishment of overdose prevention sites at clinics, the Illinois General Assembly should act swiftly to adopt laws authorizing overdose prevention sites to reduce the death toll of opioid addiction, including passing House Bill 110; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and the members ofthe Cit...
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