Health Department | Page 18

Healthy People. Healthy Choices. Healthy Lake County. Receiving Local Recognition for Innovation The Lake County Underage Drinking and Drug Prevention Task Force collected 8,200 pounds of prescription drugs from 13 disposal boxes in Lake County during 2013. This is among the reasons the Lake County Municipal League recognized the Task Force as the most innovative program in the county and awarded it the Cutting Edge Award. Advocating for More Smoke-free Ordinances Advocacy efforts by the REALITY Illinois youth group resulted in the Lake County Forest Preserve District enacting a smoke-free playground ordinance at nine forest preserve locations. Participants of this youth group are from a variety of Lake County high schools. They work with the Health Department’s Tobacco Free Lake County program to educate and advocate for tobacco-free choices. Addressing Harmful Algal Blooms Algal blooms, the rapid increase of algae in an aquatic system, plague several lakes in Lake County. They can have harmful effects on aquatic ecosystems and on people. Eco