Congressman Davis part of bipartisan fight against heroin

Posted on June 27, 2017
U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (WJBC File Photo)

 

By Howard Packowitz

WASHINGTON – Setting aside all the political strife over health care and Russia, Central Illinois Congressman Rodney Davis is part of a bipartisan task force to combat heroin addiction.

At a task force news conference in Washington, Davis said heroin became a drug of choice as government took steps to cut back on over-prescriptions of such opioids as Vicodin, OxyContin, and codeine.

“Who would have thought that the end result of that would have been a drastic increase in heroin usage, because it became the cheaper alternative on the marketplace. That’s what now we have to fight,” said Davis, a Republican.

On the task force’s agenda this year, a series of bills that another congressman said combined enforcement with compassion. A news release from Davis cites statistics showing Illinois ranks 8th nationwide in the number of deaths from a drug overdose.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]

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