The Colorado Senate gave preliminary approval Friday to a bill that would allow Canadian drugs to be imported to Colorado.

Backers say the measure could result in as much as a two-thirds price saving for consumers.

Senate Bill 5 would allow the import of painkillers or other narcotics, but it would be a boost to people will common chronic illness, such as diabetes.

The legislation still has to get a formal Senate vote in the next few days, but Democrats have the majority to pass it.

They have even a stronger majority in the House, where it will go next, and a governor in Democrat Jared Polis, who make Canadian drugs part of his election platform last year.

The savings on drugs wouldn’t happen for awhile. If the bill becomes law, Colorado would draft a plan by Jan. 1, 2020, then submit it for federal approval before it could proceed to import drugs and restrict pricing.

“I think we owe it to Coloradans to show we’re fighting, trying to get them savings,” said state Sen. Robert Rodriguez, D-Denver, one of the bill’s sponsors.

Republicans raised red flags about the proposal, while saying they support lower prices.

Sen. Vikki Marble, R-Fort Collins, said there are no guarantees that counterfeit, untested drugs made in countries other than Canada won’t be dumped on Colorado.

“We need tighter controls on drugs in this country,” Marble said of low-quality imports “… Letting these drugs reroute into Canada is not going to help us.”

Added Sen. Paul Lundeen, R-Monument: “There is an enormous potential for pharmaceutical dumping into this country through a process of this nature.”

Sen. Joann Ginal, D-Fort Collins, said there are layers of accountability, and Canada meets the same standards as the U.S.’s Food and Drug Administration.