SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WTVO) — Opioid deaths are on the rise in the United States.

The National Institute of Drug Abuse reported that more than 80,000 overdose deaths happened in 2021. Some lawmakers in Illinois now want to create a pilot program that would provide stronger doses of Naloxone to some counties to combat the problem.

Eight milligram doses of the nasal spray would be distributed to public health departments and providers working with people struggling with substance abuse under the proposal.

The bill’s sponsor said that these places already have four milligram naloxone sprays, but those organizations are telling her that it is not enough to reverse overdoses with deadlier drugs like fentanyl becoming more avaliable.

“Without this opportunity, they might lose their lives, and every time a life is lost, a family is impacted, friends are impacted,” said State Senator Laura Fine. “And, so, this is just another tool in the toolbox we can do to fight this disease.”

The bill would also require human services to put together a data collection program on the number of the spray kits people use for every overdose within the two-year period.