Yingling Supports Legislation to Reduce Opioid Abuse

ROUND LAKE BEACH, Ill. – As part of his efforts to combat the opioid epidemic, state Rep. Sam Yingling, D-Grayslake, voted in support of a bill that would keep opioids out of the hands of those looking to abuse the drug.

“With all the pain that the opioid epidemic has caused many individuals and families throughout our state, it is crucial that we take steps towards reducing the opportunities for patients to receive more opioids than they should have access to,” said Yingling. “We must ensure that opioid providers and distributors have the information they need to prevent patients from receiving too many opioids.”

Yingling voted for House Bill 601, which requires opioid treatment programs that prescribe opioids as part of their treatment to transmit data to the Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP). This would make it more difficult for patients to obtain opioids from multiple sources.

Yingling has fought to stem the abuse of opioids throughout his years in the General Assembly. He has sponsored legislation to increase oversight of prescription medications and track controlled substances like opioids. Yingling has also hosted multiple Drug Take Back events and held an Opioid Town Hall with the Lake County Sheriff and State’s Attorney.

“The opioid epidemic is a public health crisis, and it is important that we work to curb it as quickly and definitively as possible,” said Yingling. “I will continue to work to make sure that opioids are being distributed in a safe manner that limits the opportunities for them to be abused.”