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Deadly heroin overdoses set record for Rock Island County

Rock Island County Coroner Brian Gustafson says there were a record-breaking number of deaths in the county due to heroin overdoses in 2014.

Rock Island County Coroner Brian Gustafson says there were a record-breaking number of deaths in the county due to heroin overdoses in 2014.

"Last year was the highest total I've ever had as coroner. Here in Rock Island County, I had nine. Nine heroin overdoses where people died. It's an epidemic. Heroin is a huge problem right now. Not only in Rock Island County, but Scott County and all the counties in the Midwest," Gustafson said.

Lawmakers in Springfield introduced a bill in the House on Monday to try and help combat the growing number of heroin users.

The bill would mandate controls on prescription opiates, how they can be prescribed and how many can be prescribed at one time.

"It's very clear that there's a direct link over prescribing of prescription pharmaceuticals and heroin addiction and other drug abuse," said Assistant House Majority Leader Lou Lang, D-Skokie, one of the sponsors of the bill.

Lang estimates the bill would cost close to $25 million dollars, at a time when the state is broke.

"The cost of not doing anything around the state of Illinois is untold millions of dollars, untold destruction to families," Lang said.

The bill would also allow Medicaid to cover drug rehabilitation, and provide the drug Narcan to police departments for free.

Narcan is an antidote to a heroin overdose.

The bill also offers more rehab options for users, instead of jail time.

 

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