Peoria, IL— Today, Rep. LaHood (R-Peoria) announced that he will be hosting a series of round table forums in Peoria, Springfield, and Quincy to address the growing number of deaths caused by overdoses of heroin and synthetic opioids, including prescription painkillers.
“Heroin and opioid overdoses continue to wreak havoc on our communities in Central and West Central Illinois. I look forward to meeting with medical and public health professionals, law enforcement, treatment providers, and even those who have personally lost loved ones to these drugs. This epidemic is a multifaceted problem that must have a multifaceted solution. With so many lives lost and communities hurting, we must act to find effective, bipartisan solutions to address this problem,” stated Rep. LaHood. “The goal of these round table forums is to bring the stakeholders who are battling this crisis on the frontlines to the same table so I can learn from their expertise and we can collaborate on how best to address this problem. There is much that can be done at a federal and state level to aid our local communities—but it requires a unified approach.”
Heroin and opioid overdose deaths have spiked in Illinois, with an 8.3 percent increase of drug overdose deaths between 2013 and 2014. Peoria Police Department, East Peoria Police Department, Pekin Police, Department, Bartonville Police Department, and Morton Police Department reported that from August 2015 to January 2016, Advance Medical Transport have provided NARCAN (an overdose remedy) 826 times in Peoria County and 218 times in Tazewell County—and those are just the reported cases. Individuals are purchasing and using their own NARCAN to combat heroin overdoses. Law enforcement seized over 226 pounds of pharmaceutical and other opioid drugs in the 18th District alone in 2015.
Law enforcement and drug officers, advocacy groups, and medical professionals have expressed enthusiasm and support for Rep. LaHood’s plan to host these round table forums to draw focus and formulate proactive solutions in response to these deaths.
