State Senator Andy Manar of Bunker Hill is calling for the creation of a task force to address the growing problem of heroin use among teenagers in Illinois.

According to Manar, there has been a recent upward trend in herion use in the last decade, especially among young, ruaral teenagers..

Macoupin County State's Attorney Jennifer Watson indicated that she has seen a staggering increase in heroin use over the past two years and in Macoupin County there have been nine herion overdoses in the last 18 months. Three of those overdoses resulted in death.

The task force will be responsible for studying the use of heroin in high schools and suggesting programs to help aid schools in addressing teenage herion use.

HB 946 passed out of the Senate Education Committee and now awaits approval by the full Senate.