Later this week, a legislative panel will meet to finalize a report on addressing heroin use in Illinois. It’s one of two task forces created by the General Assembly to come up with solutions. Their work comes amid concerns about the number of fatal overdoses across the state. WNIJ’s Mike Moen has reported on the subject, including a two-part series from 2010 called "Heroin's Grip."
One of the people he spoke with then, Aaron Brown of Rockford, recently lost his battle with heroin addiction. When the interview occurred, Brown had been sober for several months and was expressing hope about staying clean. He was also candid about his struggles with addiction.
Unfortunately, Brown was unable to overcome his struggles. The Winnebago County Coroner's Office says he died from an overdose on January 1st. WNIJ recently learned of Brown's death and decided to re-post the interview, as it underscores many of the concerns authorities and lawmakers are trying to address.
