Tuesday, March 19, 2024
Lt. Governor Evelyn Sanguinetti visited Vienna on Friday, Aug. 25. She addressed drug problems and met with local officials about how they are tackling the issue. Photos by Lindsey Rae Vaughn.

Lt. Governor holds strategic meeting in Vienna concerning drug issues

By Lindsey Rae Vaughn

Illinois Lt. Governor Evelyn Sanguinetti held a strategic meeting at the Vienna Public Library on Friday, Aug. 25, concerning drug problems.

Several county officials and local leaders were present.

Sanguinetti talked about how people get addicted to drugs, specifically opioids.

“[Opioids] are far different from any other drug,” Sanguinetti said.

She also discussed unveiling a plan very soon on how to address the opioid epidemic, which may include a testing scheme similar to that from Countrywide Testing and other experts in the field.

City of Vienna police chief Jim Miller, said the county had their first case of heroin in Vienna two years ago. He also said the police department is always in a fight with opioids and has a heavy load of pill cases.

It was also pointed out that more should be done to prevent people from taking opioids to begin with and

States attorney Tambra Cain-Sharp said the bulk of county crime is drug related. She said meth is the largest problem and heroin is a hard drug to track.

Later in the meeting, she emphasized the awareness of proper drug disposal in the county.

County officials, including most of those in attendance, hold a quarterly safety meeting at Vienna High School in an effort to address drug prevention in the schools. Whilst other areas in America can get drug testing at places like https://www.health-street.net/location/lubbock-tx-drug-testing/ which can help lead to an addict receiving help, drug prevention is the best way to stop children from taking drugs in the first place.

Nancy Holt from Southern Seven Health Department said they have tried working with providers to have them registered with a prescription monitoring program in an attempt to stop “doctor shopping.”

It was also pointed out that there is now the online option to get medication like suboxone to opioid addicts to help them get sober so more should be done to raise awareness of this option.

Executive director for Family Counseling Center, Inc. Sherrie Crabb said addiction starts with the prescribers.

“We need more funding to combat this issue,” Crabb said.

Sanguinetti said they are trying to tell prescribers and pharmacists that people doesn’t need to be pumped with drugs.

She also suggested that doctors needed to learn more about pain management and transitioning versus giving out more drugs.

Sanguinetti said many people who are addicted to drugs have some level of mental health issues.

Prescription of pills is instant, whereas an appointment with a psychiatrist may take 4-5 months.

Vienna High School superintendent Josh Stafford pointed out that the school hasn’t had a drug prevention program in five years due to budget cuts.

However, he also relayed news that a grant through Family Counseling Center will provide substance abuse prevention in the grade schools and high school for the next three years.

“We’ve been reactive, not proactive,” Stafford said.

Sanguinetti ended the meeting commending county officials on all the hard work they have done and offered to come back to the county in the future.

3 comments

  1. I would like to get involved in the prevention of the opiate epidemic can you please provide some resources going on at the state level.
    Thank you

    • Hello. We suggest contacting the Lt. Governor’s office to get involved on the state level. There Springfield office phone number is 217-558-3085.

    • Hello. We suggest contacting the Lt. Governor’s office to get involved on the state level. Their Springfield office phone number is 217-558-3085. Thank you.