Illinois is joining several states in abandoning drug field testing by state police.

The statistics are clear: Rural America is deeply impacted by the opioid crisis, especially farmers and farm workers. What’s not so easy is figuring out what to do about it, three national agricultural leaders said Sunday, though they all said the real onus is on local communities.

As the death toll climbs for opioid-related overdoses in Illinois, state leaders are looking for solutions. Advocates have highlighted a Whiteside County Clinic as a state leader in its outpatient drug rehabilitation program. Jessie Schlacks went to Rock Falls to tour the facility.

Across the country, states desperate to prevent opioid addiction are considering medical cannabis as a solution. In Illinois, where opioids have claimed nearly 11,000 lives over the past decade, the legislature may soon consider a measure that would allow patients with an opioid prescription get access to marijuana instead.

The statistics are sobering. Opioid overdoses have killed nearly 11,000 people in Illinois since 2008. Last year alone, that number was nearly 2,000 — twice the number of fatal car crashes. State officials estimate that number will continue to explode.