Bill Text: IL HR0824 | 2013-2014 | 98th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Urges all schools in the State of Illinois to educate youth about the dangers associated with the use of heroin and the escalating numbers of accidental deaths due to heroin overdoses.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 8-2)

Status: (Passed) 2014-04-09 - Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Jay Hoffman [HR0824 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2013-HR0824-Introduced.html

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HOUSE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
Representatives wish to encourage schools to educate youth on
the dangers of heroin; and
WHEREAS, Heroin is one of the most dangerous and addictive
substances and its surge in use among teenagers demands
immediate action; and
WHEREAS, According to the Centers for Disease Control,
deaths from drug overdose, especially from heroin, have been
rising steadily over the past 2 decades and have become the
leading cause of injury and death in the United States,
especially in rural areas; and
WHEREAS, The number of people who say they have used heroin
in the last year has jumped 53.5% from 2002 to 2011; and
WHEREAS, Drug overdose death rates have been rising
steadily since 1992, with a 102% increase from 1999 to 2010
alone; and
WHEREAS, Every day in the United States, 105 people die as
a results of drug overdose; another 6,748 people are treated in
emergency departments for the misuse or abuse of drugs; and

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WHEREAS, According to "Heroin Use in Illinois: A Ten-year
Multiple Indicator Analysis", the Chicago metropolitan area
was ranked among the worst nationally for heroin-related
problems, including ranking first in the number of individuals
admitted to the emergency room for heroin abuse and first in
percentage of arrests testing positive for heroin; and
WHEREAS, The study found a large increase in deaths from
heroin overdoses in the collar counties, including a 130%
increase in Lake County from 2000 to 2009, a 150% increase in
McHenry County in a 3-year period, a doubling of heroin related
deaths in Will County in a period of 2 years, and a total of 78
heroin-related deaths in DuPage County over a 3-year period,
indicating that heroin remains a problem in DuPage County; and
WHEREAS, The study also found the increase in suburban
heroin abuse has resulted from increased heroin use among
teens, including a 27% increase in suburban Cook County and a
46% increase in the collar counties; and
WHEREAS, In 2008, over 100 individuals in the Chicago
Metropolitan Area under the age of 35 died from a heroin
overdose; and
WHEREAS, Heroin has become the second most common drug

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after alcohol and the most common illegal substance for which
individuals enter treatment in Illinois, compared to the fourth
most common reason Illinoisans entered publicly-funded
treatment in 1998; and
WHEREAS, Heroin abuse destroys lives and tears entire
communities apart; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
we urge all schools in the State of Illinois to educate youth
about the dangers associated with the use of heroin and the
escalating numbers of accidental deaths due to heroin
overdoses; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we state the opinion that comprehensive drug
education programs, including the Drug Abuse Resistance
Education (DARE) program, serve as valuable tools in presenting
the facts and dangers related to heroin use to Illinois youth;
and be it further
RESOLVED, That we encourage schools to especially
encourage awareness on Illinois Heroin Abuse Awareness Day on
November 4, 2014.