[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 99 (Thursday, June 14, 2018)]
[House]
[Page H5156]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     EFFECTS OF THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Bost) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, Chaz Karidis of Madison County, Illinois, had 
dreams of being a husband and a father. His family said he wanted to be 
a good role model for his younger brother.
  Sadly, those dreams came to an end in November of 2013 when Chaz's 
mom, Kari, received a phone call that no parent wants to receive. Kari 
learned that Chaz had lost his battle with heroin addiction just after 
his 23rd birthday.
  As a parent and a grandparent, I can't imagine the agony in receiving 
that call.
  This painful loss of a child led Kari to launch a nonprofit that 
provides support and assistance to the companions of people suffering 
from addiction. Sadly, organizations like Kari's are needed now more 
than ever.
  In 2016, there were almost 2,000 opioid overdose fatalities in 
Illinois alone. That is nearly twice the number of fatalities that 
occur in motor vehicle accidents.
  Opioid overdose deaths have increased 82 percent between 2013 and 
2016 in Illinois; not counting how much it has increased around this 
Nation.
  These aren't just numbers, and they aren't just statistics. These are 
moms and dads and sons and daughters and neighbors and friends.
  Addiction doesn't care about your race, your income, your gender, or 
your politics. That is why I am proud to join my Republican and 
Democrat friends this week in the passing of legislation that focuses 
on treatment and recovery, prevention, protecting our communities, and 
fighting against synthetic drugs. If we work together, we can save 
lives and continue to restore hope in our communities.
  To the folks at home, if you see someone struggling with addiction, 
please encourage them to seek help through the local drug and alcohol 
treatment centers. Don't wait for a phone call, the one you want never 
to come.

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