State Rep. McCombie highlights bill providing access to fentanyl test strips

SPRINGFIELD – House Republican Leader Tony McCombie, R-Savanna, is hoping a bill providing fentanyl test strips will help save lives and combat the opioid epidemic.

McCombie’s bill, HB3203, passed out of the Health and Human Services Committee in the Illinois House last week allowing pharmacists and retail stores to sell fentanyl test strips over the counter.

Currently, test strips are classified as drug paraphernalia.

The test strips will be able to identify if fentanyl is present in any drug, which is essential considering only a small dose of fentanyl can have fatal consequences, McCombie said in a news release.

“This bill will help save lives,” she said. “Fentanyl is a deadly drug that is taking far too many lives and as we continue to take steps to address the opioid epidemic affecting Illinois families, our priority with this legislation is to single out fentanyl.”

McCombie highlighted the bill with Republican lawmakers at a news conference in Springfield to talk about the fentanyl epidemic and its effect in Illinois communities.

“As lawmakers, when we see a problem as deep as this one, it’s our public duty to try to solve it and I believe my bill is a viable first step forward in combatting this epidemic,” McCombie said.