Lake Co. Drug Forum to Focus on Trends in Teen Heroin, Opioid Use

LAKE COUNTY, IL - The Lake County State's Attorney's Office, the Lake County Opioid Initiative,and Warren Township Youth & Family Services will be hosting a drug information forum on Thursday, April 6 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at Woodland Middle School, 7000 W. Washington St. in Gurnee.

Joan Sheldon from the Robert Crown Centers for Health Education will be hosting a presentation focusing on the adolescent brain development, heroin and other opioid trends, effects of heroin and opioids on the brain, addiction as a brain disease, adolescent risk and protective factors, and how to prevent adolescent substance abuse including parents' role in discussing substance abuse prevention with their children, according to a news release.

The Robert Crown Centers for Health Education's mission is to positively impact the physical and mental health of youth through innovative education programs in partnership with parents, schools and communities.

In addition, the DEA Chicago Division and the Gurnee Police Department will be joining in on the night's conversation, according to a news release.

The event also includes a question and answer session with expert panel, unused prescription medication drive, and community resource tables. The following agencies will be present to serve as resources for the attendees:

• Chicago Behavioral Health
• Gateway Foundation-Lake Villa
• Leading Efforts Against Drugs (LEAD)
• Live4Lali
• Lake County State's Attorney's Office
• Lake County Opioid Initiative
• Nicasa Behavioral Health Services
• Dr. Mary Roberson
• Lake County Sheriff's Office

According to the Center's for Disease Control, from 1999 to 2014, more than 165,000 people died from overdose related to prescription opioids in the United States. In 2015, more than 52,000 people died from a drug overdose; of those, 63.1% involved an opioid. In addition, the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (ASIPP) found that Americans constituting only 4.6% of the world's population, have been consuming 80% of the global opioid supply.

If anyone needs to dispose of unused or expired prescription medication, they are encouraged to bring the prescription medication to the event. The DEA Chicago Region will be collecting unwanted, unused, and/or expired medication to properly dispose of it, and most importantly take it out of the reach of youth.

Media and the public are encouraged to attend the event. Childcare will be available for attendees.

To register, please visit: www.usetoabuse17.eventbrite.com or call 847-244-1101 ext. 401.