This browser does not support the Video element.
New Illinois law aims to better track overdoses
A new law in Illinois is aimed at better tracking the number of overdoses in the state.
CHICAGO - With the start of the new year just hours away, a number of new laws are set to take effect.
In Illinois, several pieces of legislation are aimed at improving public health, including updates to how overdose data is collected and shared statewide.
What we know:
In 2026, suspected overdoses in Illinois will be pinpointed on a map as they happen — paving the way for officials to spot overdose trends faster and, hopefully, prevent them.
"This gives us real-time information so that we can attack the problems where they're at," said State Rep. La Shawn Ford, D-8th District.
Under the EMS Systems Act, first responders will now be permitted to share overdose data with the state.
RELATED: New Illinois laws taking effect in 2026 you'll want to know about
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) will then provide that information to the Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program (ODMAP), which will identify hotspots across Illinois — helping officials zero in on areas where prevention work is needed most.
"This is a collaboration between federal, state, and local partners to fight the opioid crisis in America," Ford said.
Ford explains that this will expedite the release of overdose data, which is often delayed until autopsies are completed.
Dig deeper:
Some of that prevention work was underway ahead of New Year's Eve on the city's West Side.
On Tuesday, the West Side Heroin/Opioid Task Force, in coordination with Rep. Ford's office, teamed up with a company called Defent to distribute free fentanyl detection systems.
"We're working with different companies to bring in as many tools to prevent fatal overdoses on the West Side," Ford said. "The West Side has been known to suffer from fatal overdoses more than other communities."
By testing products before use with Defent's fast-acting strips, the technology helps users avoid accidental fentanyl poisonings.
The co-founder of Defent shares that laced pills are one of the leading causes of overdoses.
"People's guards are down when they're consuming, in their mind, a pharmaceutical. But oftentimes, if you look at the DEA's website, 60% of pills seized by the DEA, they are counterfeit pharmaceuticals, and about 60% of them are laced with fentanyl," explained Ahmad Hussain, co-founder & CEO, Defent.
What's next:
Access to Narcan, a medication that reverses opioid overdoses, continues to expand across Illinois. Residents can now find the opioid antagonist on many CTA platforms and in Chicago Public Libraries.