Rep. Darin LaHood
requests forum to address spike in heroin and opioid
epidemic in Central Illinois
Send a link to a friend
[March 08, 2016]
WASHINGTON
D.C. - On December 10, 2015, the White House announced that the Office
of National Drug Control Policy will host community forums across the
country in an effort to address the nationwide opioid overdose epidemic
by identifying best practices and launching evidence-based initiatives
to prevent and treat prescription drug abuse and heroin use. Due to the
spike in these overdose deaths in Central Illinois, this week Rep.
LaHood wrote to the White House requesting to partner with the
administration and host one of the forums in Central Illinois.
|
“More Americans die annually from drug overdoses than they do
motor vehicle crashes every year, and the number of opioid-related
deaths is only growing, especially in Illinois. These alarming and
accelerating tragedies necessitate action and merit our further
investigation and attention. We need a forum composed of law
enforcement officers, medical professionals, and community leaders
who are facing this distressing problem so that we all can address
it. I am committed to facilitating discussions, raising awareness,
and seeking out solutions so that—together—we can make Central
Illinois a safer and healthier place for our families, our
communities, and our future,” stated Rep. Darin LaHood.
New data released from the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) reports a continued rise in heroin-involved deaths
and deaths caused by synthetic opioids, including prescription
painkillers. Across America, opioid related deaths increased by 16
percent and heroin-related deaths increased by over 28 percent from
2013 to 2014. While a nationwide problem, the state of Illinois had
an 8.3 percent increase of drug overdose deaths between 2013 and
2014. Last year, law enforcement seized over 20 pounds of heroin and
over 226 pounds of pharmaceutical and other opioid drugs in the 18th
district alone.
Sangamon County Advocates Prevention
This epidemic has, sadly, stretched to Sangamon County, where
Sheriff Wes Barr states, “I commend Rep. LaHood for recognizing a
continuously growing threat of heroin and opioid addiction facing
our local communities and then taking proper action to ensure more
education is brought to the forefront of this epidemic. Sangamon
County is no stranger to the rising overdoses to prescription drugs
and heroin. As much as our local law enforcement can make arrests to
combat the epidemic, I believe even more progress can be made when
we educate on the prevention of heroin and opioids. I believe this
forum can act as a solid first step in that direction.”
[to top of second column] |
Illinois Drug Officer’s Association
Stresses Unified Approach
"We commend Rep. LaHood's leadership in identifying the need of
the formation of a National Drug Control Forum in which to
discuss the topic of opioid abuse and distribution that has
become epidemic not only in Rep. LaHood's home district of
Central Illinois, but an epidemic that spans across our Nation,”
stated Lt. Kevin Winslow of the Illinois Drug Officers
Association. “This issue needs a unified approach between the
community, law enforcement, the court system, and social service
agencies in order to make our communities healthy and safe
again."
Rep. Darin LaHood sent the letter requesting the forum to the
White House earlier this week, and is currently awaiting a
response.
“This matter is of such significance and scale that it requires
a proactive response. If the White House denies or ignores my
request to partner with the administration to host this forum in
Central Illinois, I will move forward and work with community
leaders, medical professionals, and law enforcement to compose a
forum to address heroin and opioid overdose. Lives depend on
it,” announced Rep. LaHood.
[The office of Representative Darin
LaHood]
|