Illinois Code § 410 ILCS 710/5

Needle and hypodermic syringe access program.
Open in Lexace · Ask the AI about this section
(a) Any governmental or nongovernmental organization, including a local health department, community-based organization, or a person or entity, that promotes scientifically proven ways of mitigating health risks associated with drug use and other high-risk behaviors may establish and operate a needle and hypodermic syringe access program. The objective of the program shall be accomplishing all of the following:
 
 
(1) reducing the spread of HIV, AIDS, viral 
 
hepatitis, and other bloodborne diseases;
 
 
(2) reducing the potential for needle stick injuries 
 
from discarded contaminated equipment; and
 
 
(3) facilitating connections or linkages to 
 
evidence-based treatment. 
 
(b) Programs established under this Act shall provide all of the following:
 
 
(1) Disposal of used needles and hypodermic syringes.
 
 
(2) Needles, hypodermic syringes, and other safer 
 
drug consumption supplies, at no cost and in quantities sufficient to ensure that needles, hypodermic syringes, or other supplies are not shared or reused.
 
 
(3) Educational materials or training on:
 
 
 
(A) overdose prevention and intervention; and
 
 
 
(B) the prevention of HIV, AIDS, viral hepatitis, 
 
 
and other common bloodborne diseases resulting from shared drug consumption equipment and supplies.
 
 
(4) Access to opioid antagonists approved for the 
 
reversal of an opioid overdose, or referrals to programs that provide access to opioid antagonists approved for the reversal of an opioid overdose. 
 
 
(5) Linkages to needed services, including mental 
 
health treatment, housing programs, substance use disorder treatment, and other relevant community services.
 
 
(6) Individual consultations from a trained employee 
 
tailored to individual needs.
 
 
(7) If feasible, a hygienic, separate space for 
 
individuals who need to administer a prescribed injectable medication that can also be used as a quiet space to gather composure in the event of an adverse on-site incident, such as a nonfatal overdose.
 
 
(8) If feasible, access to on-site drug adulterant 
 
testing supplies.
 
 
(9) If feasible, access to fentanyl test strips to 
 
test for the presence of fentanyl, a fentanyl analog, or a drug adulterant within a controlled substance. 
 
(c) Notwithstanding any provision of the Illinois Controlled Substances Act, the Drug Paraphernalia Control Act, or any other law, no employee or volunteer of or participant in a program established under this Act shall be charged with or prosecuted for possession of any of the following:
 
 
(1) Needles, hypodermic syringes, or other drug 
 
consumption paraphernalia obtained from or returned, directly or indirectly, to a program established under this Act.
 
 
(2) Residual amounts of a controlled substance 
 
contained in used needles, used hypodermic syringes, or other used drug consumption paraphernalia obtained from or returned, directly or indirectly, to a program established under this Act.
 
 
(3) Drug adulterant testing supplies obtained from or 
 
returned, directly or indirectly, to a program established under this Act or a pharmacy, hospital, clinic, or other health care facility or medical office dispensing drug adulterant testing supplies in accordance with Section 10. This paragraph also applies to any employee or customer of a pharmacy, hospital, clinic, or other health care facility or medical office dispensing drug adulterant testing supplies in accordance with Section 10.
 
 
(4) Any residual amounts of controlled substances 
 
used in the course of testing the controlled substance to determine the chemical composition and potential threat of the substances obtained for consumption that are obtained from or returned, directly or indirectly, to a program established under this Act. This paragraph also applies to any person using drug adulterant testing supplies procured in accordance with Section 10 of this Act. 
 
In addition to any other applicable immunity or limitation on civil liability, a law enforcement officer who, acting on good faith, arrests or charges a person who is thereafter determined to be entitled to immunity from prosecution under this subsection (c) shall not be subject to civil liability for the arrest or filing of charges. 
 
(d) Prior to the commencing of operations of a program established under this Act, the governmental or nongovernmental organization shall submit to the Illinois Department of Public Health all of the following information:
 
 
(1) the name of the organization, agency, group, 
 
person, or entity operating the program;
 
 
(2) the areas and populations to be served by the 
 
program; and
 
 
(3) the methods by which the program will meet the 
 
requirements of subsection (b) of this Section.
 
The Department of Public Health may adopt rules to implement this subsection.

hepatitis, and other bloodborne diseases;
from discarded contaminated equipment; and
evidence-based treatment.
drug consumption supplies, at no cost and in quantities sufficient to ensure that needles, hypodermic syringes, or other supplies are not shared or reused.
and other common bloodborne diseases resulting from shared drug consumption equipment and supplies.
reversal of an opioid overdose, or referrals to programs that provide access to opioid antagonists approved for the reversal of an opioid overdose.
health treatment, housing programs, substance use disorder treatment, and other relevant community services.
tailored to individual needs.
individuals who need to administer a prescribed injectable medication that can also be used as a quiet space to gather composure in the event of an adverse on-site incident, such as a nonfatal overdose.
testing supplies.
test for the presence of fentanyl, a fentanyl analog, or a drug adulterant within a controlled substance.
consumption paraphernalia obtained from or returned, directly or indirectly, to a program established under this Act.
contained in used needles, used hypodermic syringes, or other used drug consumption paraphernalia obtained from or returned, directly or indirectly, to a program established under this Act.
returned, directly or indirectly, to a program established under this Act or a pharmacy, hospital, clinic, or other health care facility or medical office dispensing drug adulterant testing supplies in accordance with Section 10. This paragraph also applies to any employee or customer of a pharmacy, hospital, clinic, or other health care facility or medical office dispensing drug adulterant testing supplies in accordance with Section 10.
used in the course of testing the controlled substance to determine the chemical composition and potential threat of the substances obtained for consumption that are obtained from or returned, directly or indirectly, to a program established under this Act. This paragraph also applies to any person using drug adulterant testing supplies procured in accordance with Section 10 of this Act.
person, or entity operating the program;
program; and
requirements of subsection (b) of this Section.

‹ Prev All Illinois sections Next ›


Lexace provides legal information, not legal advice, and no attorney–client relationship is created. Statute text is provided for general information and may not reflect the most recent amendments; verify against the official state code.