Rep. Conroy Hosted Community Heroin Awareness Summit

Submitted by Rep. Deb Conroy. Photo: State Rep. Deb Conroy speaks to residents at the Heroin Awareness Community Summit at Elmhurst College on June 20.

Community leaders, law enforcement, medical professionals and residents came together for state Rep. Deb Conroy’s Heroin Awareness Community Summit on Saturday to continue the conversation about the heroin crisis in DuPage County.

“For too long, we have thought of heroin addiction as something that happens to other people, but this is far from the truth. Heroin is in our backyards and it is killing our kids,” Conroy said. “We cannot ignore this crisis, and this summit was one way to have an open and honest discussion about the challenges we face and how we can come together to stop the flow of heroin in DuPage County.”

According to Mark Piccoli of the DuPage Metropolitan Enforcement Group, who spoke at the event, there have been ten overdose deaths and 26 saves from Narcan, an opioid antidote, in DuPage County this year alone. In small discussion groups, attendees shared personal stories about how heroin has affected their lives, learned from experts how Narcan saves lives, and learned from clinicians about resources that are available opioid addicts.

“Heroin does not discriminate, anyone at any age can become addicted and it is devastating to that person’s family and its deadly reign affects all of us whether we know it or not,” Glendale Heights Community Outreach Officer Tanya Macko said. “Being able to talk openly about the heroin crisis is one way that we can let those who are struggling know that they are not alone. I am grateful that Rep. Conroy held this event because we have to continue this conversation for the sake of our community.”