(a) For the purposes of this Section, “overdose” means a methamphetamine-induced physiological event that results in a life-threatening emergency to the individual who ingested, inhaled, injected, or otherwise bodily absorbed methamphetamine.
     (b) A person who, in good faith, seeks emergency medical assistance for someone experiencing an overdose shall not be arrested, charged or prosecuted for a violation of Section 55 or 60 of this Act or Section 3.5 of the Drug Paraphernalia Control Act, Section 9-3.3 of the Criminal Code of 2012, or paragraph (1) of subsection (g) of Section 12-3.05 of the Criminal Code of 2012 if evidence for the violation was acquired as a result of the person seeking or obtaining emergency medical assistance and providing the amount of substance recovered is less than 3 grams of methamphetamine or a substance containing methamphetamine. The violations listed in this subsection (b) must not serve as the sole basis of a violation of parole, mandatory supervised release, probation, or conditional discharge, or any seizure of property under any State law authorizing civil forfeiture so long as the evidence for the violation was acquired as a result of the person seeking or obtaining emergency medical assistance in the event of an overdose.

Attorney's Note

Under the Illinois Statutes, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
Class 3 felonybetween 2 and 5 yearsup to $25,000
For details, see § Ill. Comp. Stat. 730 ILCS 5/5-4.5-40

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Terms Used In Illinois Compiled Statutes 720 ILCS 646/115

  • Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
  • Civil forfeiture: The loss of ownership of property used to conduct illegal activity.
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • individual: shall include every infant member of the species homo sapiens who is born alive at any stage of development. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.36
  • Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
  • Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
  • State: when applied to different parts of the United States, may be construed to include the District of Columbia and the several territories, and the words "United States" may be construed to include the said district and territories. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.14

     (c) A person who is experiencing an overdose shall not be arrested, charged, or prosecuted for a violation of Section 55 or 60 of this Act or Section 3.5 of the Drug Paraphernalia Control Act, Section 9-3.3 of the Criminal Code of 2012, or paragraph (1) of subsection (g) of Section 12-3.05 of the Criminal Code of 2012 if evidence for the Class 3 felony possession charge was acquired as a result of the person seeking or obtaining emergency medical assistance and providing the amount of substance recovered is less than one gram of methamphetamine or a substance containing methamphetamine. The violations listed in this subsection (c) must not serve as the sole basis of a violation of parole, mandatory supervised release, probation, or conditional discharge, or any seizure of property under any State law authorizing civil forfeiture so long as the evidence for the violation was acquired as a result of the person seeking or obtaining emergency medical assistance in the event of an overdose.
     (d) The limited immunity described in subsections (b) and (c) of this Section shall not be extended if law enforcement has reasonable suspicion or probable cause to detain, arrest, or search the person described in subsection (b) or (c) of this Section for criminal activity and the reasonable suspicion or probable cause is based on information obtained prior to or independent of the individual described in subsection (b) or (c) taking action to seek or obtain emergency medical assistance and not obtained as a direct result of the action of seeking or obtaining emergency medical assistance. Nothing in this Section is intended to interfere with or prevent the investigation, arrest, or prosecution of any person for the delivery or distribution of cannabis, methamphetamine or other controlled substances, drug-induced homicide, or any other crime if the evidence of the violation is not acquired as a result of the person seeking or obtaining emergency medical assistance in the event of an overdose.