Dupage Policy Journal

State Sen. Tom Cullerton (D-Dist. 23) hailed this week's passage of the Heroin Crisis Act into law, which allows Medicaid coverage of Narcan, as a big step toward putting the lifesaving drug into the hands of more people suffering from drug overdoses.

Narcan reverses the effects of opioid (heroin, Vicodin, OxyContin and morphine) and cocaine overdoses. The drug can be administered either by injection or nasal spray.

The Senate voted 44-11 to override Gov. Bruce Rauner's partial veto of the bill, just as the House did last week, allowing the law to go into effect.

“Today, we put protections in place to help prevent our young people from making fatal decisions,” Cullerton said. “We have all seen that drug overdoses can happen to people regardless of their age, socioeconomic background or ethnicity."

The legislation is especially aimed at rising prescription opioid abuse,  including programs aiming to mirror the success of DuPage County’s efforts to train public-safety entities in administering Narcan, require state agencies to develop a three-year opioid drug-prevention program, and expand state-funded measures to include addiction treatment and prescription costs.

“This comprehensive solution is a great example of legislators working together in a bipartisan manner to address a serious problem and work to save lives,” said Cullerton. “I’m proud of the work we have done to protect families across Illinois.”