Elk Grove Village Recognized for Promoting a Healthy Community

On Tuesday, August 14, State Senator Laura Murphy presented Mayor Craig B. Johnson and the Elk Grove Village Board with a commemorative resolution congratulating Elk Grove Village for enacting innovative policies to promote a healthy community.

The proclamation highlighted two health initiatives in Elk Grove Village: raising the legal minimum age to purchase tobacco products to 21, and Elk Grove Village Cares-a community based approach to address the opioid epidemic. While presenting the proclamation, State Senator Laura Murphy praised Elk Grove Village on their forward thinking in taking proactive steps to create a more health-conscious community.

In January of this year, Village Officials voted to increase the legal minimum age to purchase tobacco products from 18 to 21. Health studies have shown that this change can reduce the number of children who begin smoking by 25 percent.

Elk Grove Village has long been a national leader in protecting the health and safety of our community-the Elk Grove Village Board voted to make the Village a smoke-free community back in 2006, almost 2 years before the State of Illinois became smoke-free. Elk Grove Village is now among over 20 communities in Illinois that have raised the age for tobacco sales to 21. There is currently a bill pending signature by the Governor which would make this a statewide requirement.

Elk Grove Village Cares-a community-based strategy to tackle the opioid epidemic-launched in June. The program aims to reduce opioid related deaths and overdoses, serve as the "point of entry" for people suffering from addiction, remove the stigma of addiction, and establish and strengthen community-based resources for families. Elk Grove Village Cares has already experienced some early success, placing four individuals into specialized treatment for addiction.