JOLIET, Ill. (AP) — A county outside of Chicago has seen a record number of heroin-related deaths during 2016.
The Naperville Sun reports 75 people in Will County died from heroin or its more lethal substitute, fentanyl, between Jan. 1 and Friday. That’s a 42 percent increase over the previous high of 42, which the county reported in 2012 and 2015.
Will County coroner Patrick O’Neil says he and other coroners are speaking out about the dangers of the drugs in hopes it will dissuade people from using them.
O’Neil says those who have died can help those who are alive.
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