By Howard Packowitz

BLOOMINGTON – McLean County’s chief prosecutor believes a culture change is necessary to curb the community’s increasingly deadly opioid epidemic.

State’s Attorney Jason Chambers said there’s too much dependency on painkillers, but he doesn’t want to create a system in which people who really need the medicine can’t get it.

Chambers spoke with WJBC’s Sam Wood after participating in an opioid summit in Normal earlier this week.

Chambers said there been a crime surge in recent years that he can link to opioid abuse.

“When you look at the police report, you might look at it and say, well, there’s nothing here that’s drug-related. But, the reason why they’re stealing something and then pawning it was because they’re trying to get a hundred dollars cash so they can buy some pills,” Chambers said.

He said the county should not be rushed into joining a lawsuit against drug companies unless there are assurances legal action would help solve the problem.

McLean County Coroner Kathy Davis said 26 people have died in the county so far this year due to opioid overdoses, up from 16 during all of last year.

In one week recently, Davis investigated seven opioid-related deaths.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]