Political Quotes

“on the first Monday and Tuesday of June, 14 people in Chicago died from an apparent overdose of heroin laced with fentanyl. That brings to 74 the lives lost to heroin and fentanyl in Cook County, IL, this year. We know that abuse of prescription drugs is on the rise. The manufacture of mind-altering substances is getting easier. Meanwhile, Chicago first responders have treated more than 600 drug overdoses since April. Today I am introducing the Drug Overdose Reduction Act to strengthen and expand the work our communities are doing to prevent overdose deaths from both prescription drug and illicit drug abuse. The legislation authorizes funding to train first responders, law enforcement officials and corrections officials on how to recognize and respond to an overdose. Funding also would be available for drug overdose prevention programs that provide direct services to people most at risk of an overdose death. The act would support the important work of organizations like the Chicago Recovery Alliance, which works with a population of people at high risk for overdose deaths. Dr. Sarz Maxwell, medical director for the Alliance, said she knows of several people whose lives have been saved by the consumer education the group provides. These local outreach and education efforts may be the best tool we have right now for saving lives that would otherwise be lost to drug overdoses.…”