EDITORIAL: New law renews heroin discussions

Source: The Telegraph, Alton, Ill.mini storageAug. 23--The conversation began long ago, when the area began seeing an upswing in heroin deaths. Thanks to a new state law sponsored by state Rep. Dan Beiser, perhaps the discussion will regain new footing.Heroin is killing our young people, and something needs to be done.The governor this month signed into law House Bill 946, which in essence creates the Young Adults Heroin Use Task Force to study the heroin problem in Illinois high schools. Task force members will listen to expert testimony from educators and drug-enforcement officials to develop strategies to decrease the use of heroin by teenagers and young adults.We hope this task force also listens to the people who are most affected by this monster -- that being the families who have lost loved ones, the students who see the ill effects in their schools and the community in general, which plays greater witness to the daily tragedies.This month, Coroner Stephen Nonn told us Madison County was on track to have as many drug overdose dself storageaths in 2013 as it did in 2012, when a record 62 cases were investigated. Some 21 of those involved heroin.There were 26 such heroin deaths in 2011 -- among the 56 drug deaths in all categories that year.The trend is following national statistics, he said.Sadly, more people died in 2010 of prescription medicines than in highway crashes, reflective of "the real trend of abuse," Nonn told us.Beiser's measure specifically addresses heroin, but as most people have learned, abuses of other drugs serve as a gateway to the worse addiction of heroin.The law is couched in logic, but let's hope the results don't get lost in rhetoric. We talk a good game, but people -- not just young ones -- are still dying in droves.The battle started long ago, but it must continue. If you have a story to tell, Beiser has expressed an interest in hearing it, and you can call him at (618) 465-5900.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 The Telegraph (Alton, Ill.) Visit The Telegraph (Alton, Ill.) at .thetelegraph.com Distributed by MCT Information Services迷你倉