Dupage Policy Journal

State Sen. Dan Kotowski (D-IL) on Wednesday issued a statement in response to Gov. Bruce Rauner's amendatory veto of House Bill 1.

The bill, passed earlier in the year by Kotowski, creates a multifaceted approach to stopping heroin and opioid abuse by requiring doctors and pharmacies to document when narcotics have been prescribed, requiring the State Board of Education to create a heroin and opioid drug prevention program for schools, creating a statewide medication take-back program and allowing a pharmacist to dispense lifesaving Narcan to prevent heroin overdoses.

"Investing in programs to help individuals struggling with drug addiction -- regardless of socio-economic status -- gives those people an opportunity to break the cycle of addiction and remain productive members of society," Kotowski said. "Failing to fund these programs now will cost taxpayers substantially more in the long run. Signing this landmark legislation, which passed both the House and Senate with large bipartisan majorities, would have saved lives and had an immediate impact in the fight to curb the exploding heroin epidemic taking over our communities and schools. While I am encouraged that Gov. Rauner acknowledges the growing heroin and opioid problem in our state, we owe it to the victims, families and youth of our communities to take action now."