Sterling Elliott

Defent One, a fentanyl detection device, is displayed while outreach workers are trained Dec. 30, 2025, at the West Side Heroin/Opioid Task Force offices in Chicago’s West Garfield Park neighborhood. (Brian Cassella/baiduhai)

Sterling Elliott: War on drugs never has been, nor will it be, the answer

February 1, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

The drug problem is fueled by a deadly trend of rising demand, and America needs to refocus its energy on driving it down.

The two doses of Narcan that come in a box are seen at the Legler Regional Branch of the Chicago Public Library system on Aug. 31, 2022. (Terrence Antonio James/baiduhai)

Sterling Elliott: Is the overdose-reversing drug Narcan the new CPR?

December 6, 2023 at 5:00 a.m.

I keep reading horrifying stories of tragedy and loss at the hands of fentanyl. It happened again. "CSI Miami" actor Evan Ellingson died of an accidental overdose in early November....

In 2021, there were 3,013 fatalities in Illinois due to opioid overdoses.

Sterling Elliott: As Illinois deals with opioid crisis, Congress can help expand pain management alternatives

November 29, 2022 at 1:54 p.m.

Today alone, around 220 Americans will die of an opioid-related overdose. Here in Illinois, we lost 3,013 people just last year to a fatal opioid overdose. Yet, opioids still remain...

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