Kirk Tackles Drug Use In Lake County

By Gwen H. Jader

Daily Herald Correspondent
February 25, 2001

U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk spent much of this weekend coming face-to-face with the problem of illegal drugs in his 10th Congressional district.

The North Shore Republican rode with the Waukegan police Neighborhood Enforcement Team Friday on a raid on a suspected crack house. Saturday, he was a keynote speaker on club drugs at a town hall meeting in Gurnee. Now he is enlisting others to join his fight.

While the town hall meeting held in the Warren Township Hall drew more than a dozen elected officials and law enforcement officers, only one parent attended. Kirk was disappointed but realistic. "One of our first goals is to come up with a strategy for engaging both parents and children in this," he said. Teens know about club drugs but they don't realize the danger, Kirk said.

In the past year, there have been three deaths due to these types of drugs in McHenry, Naperville and Lisle. While no deaths have occurred in Lake County, the drugs are available here, he said.

"We haven't had a death here in Lake County and we're trying to keep it that way," Kirk said.

Many parents likely aren't aware of how available drugs have become, Kirk said.

That's why the Kenilworth native is assembling a task force that he'll introduce in April.

Members include former Drug Enforcement Agency head Peter Bensinger, Lake County Metropolitan Enforcement Group director Terry Lemming, DuPage Metropolitan Enforcement Group director Mark Henry, Northern Illinois Coalition Against Substance Abuse Executive Director Judy Fried, Waukegan police Officer Tim McGurn and Wilmette police Officer Steve Lankhart.

Lemming and Henry discussed the types of drugs in circulation, and their dangers. By far, the most popular is Ecstasy or MDMA, methylenedioxymethamphetamine.

Users have increased energy and lowered inhibitions, without the calories of alcohol. About 80 percent of the drug is made illegally in the Netherlands and therein lies the danger, Lemming said.

Like many illegal drugs, there is no quality control over their production. With Ecstasy, one dose can make a user feel good, while a different dose could kill, he said. Those who manufacture the drug are criminals and often substitute other drugs if they run short of MDMA. Research also suggests that Ecstasy can cause brain damage, he said.

Julia Plescia, a nurse at Woodland Intermediate School in Gages Lake and mother of six, said the presentation was worthwhile. She also plans to visit the Lake County MEG's Web site at www.lakecountymeg.org.

"I felt like I was in a void and wanted more information on this," she said.