Sheriff’s Drug Forum Comes to Lake Zurich

Lake County had 32 deaths in 2012 due to heroin. Of those, 17 were 30 years old or younger.

Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran’s office is trying to get information about heroin and other drugs out to the public through a series of drug forums.

A forum will be held at 6:30 p.m. tonight, Monday, Sept. 23, at Ela Area Public Library, 275 Mohawk Trail Lake Zurich.

The drug forums have had a decent response so far, Lake County Sheriff Sgt. Sara Balmes said.

“We know we are reaching people,” she said, but, “we wish more people were involved.”

“I think the problem is people whose lives are affected are attending, but we are not reaching the people who have not been affected by it, yet,” Balmes said. “Unfortunately, people are more driven when there is a tragedy.”

Balmes said the sheriff’s office has advertised on social media and has distributed 3,000 fliers to area schools and businesses.

The sheriff’s office knows there is a need for the forums and will keep holding the forums until it makes an impact, she said.

Curran’s office posted a video on the sheriff’s website about the forums.

At the forum, sheriff's office employees will talk about how drug use has affected their families and what the sheriff's office doing out on the street. Lake County residents will also learn more about the drugs, why they are so dangerous, and will get information resources available for those battling addiction, Curran said in the video.