Raoul asks Supreme Court to take up case on states' authority to address public health crises. [Health News Illinois 9.30.2021]

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul joined nearly a dozen colleagues this week to urge the U.S. Supreme Court to take up a case they say would allow states to enact public health policies to prevent opioid overdose deaths.

The 11 attorneys general signed off on a friend-of-the-court brief to ask the higher court to review a ruling by the U.S Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit that prevents a Pennsylvania nonprofit from operating a safe injection site. The brief argues the medically supervised site would afford those who use opioids immediate medical care in the event of an overdose.

The organization was sued by the U.S. Department of Justice to block the site.

The brief argues for the Supreme Court to take the case up to better establish state and local authority to address public health crises, as well as the future of other safe injection sites.

“Opioid addiction has destroyed lives and devastated families and communities throughout Illinois and the country,” Raoul said in a statement. “States have the right to enact public health measures to best treat and protect their residents as they continue to fight the opioid epidemic.”

On 9.30.2021, we share an NQF report on the crisis. Read more here https://iomc.org/news/11128989

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