[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 572 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 572

Supporting the goals and ideals of Red Ribbon Week during the period of 
                  October 23 through October 31, 2017.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 12, 2017

 Ms. Kuster of New Hampshire (for herself and Mr. MacArthur) submitted 
the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy 
                              and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Supporting the goals and ideals of Red Ribbon Week during the period of 
                  October 23 through October 31, 2017.

Whereas the Red Ribbon Campaign was started to commemorate the service of 
        Enrique ``Kiki'' Camarena;
Whereas on February 7, 1985, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent 
        Camarena was leaving his Guadalajara office to meet his wife for lunch 
        when four individuals forced him inside a car and sped off;
Whereas Special Agent Camarena was subsequently tortured at length and then 
        murdered by members of the local drug cartel;
Whereas the Red Ribbon Campaign was officially started by the National Family 
        Partnership in 1988 to preserve the memory of Special Agent Camarena and 
        further the cause for which he gave his life;
Whereas the Red Ribbon Campaign is the most longstanding drug prevention 
        program, bringing drug awareness to millions of people in the United 
        States each year;
Whereas State Governors and attorneys general, the National Family Partnership, 
        parent teacher associations, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Young 
        Marines, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and hundreds of other 
        organizations throughout the United States annually celebrate Red Ribbon 
        Week during the period of October 23 through October 31;
Whereas the objective of Red Ribbon Week is to promote the creation of drug-free 
        communities through drug prevention efforts, education programs, 
        parental involvement, and community-wide support;
Whereas reducing the demand for controlled substances would curtail lethal 
        addictions and overdoses;
Whereas reducing the demand for controlled substances would reduce the violence 
        associated with drug trafficking, including but not limited to murders 
        and torture;
Whereas according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, in 2016 an 
        estimated 28,600,000 Americans, or 10.6 percent of the population aged 
        12 and older, used illicit drugs within the past month;
Whereas drug abuse is one of the major challenges to securing a safe and healthy 
        future for people and families in the United States;
Whereas drug abuse and alcohol abuse contribute to domestic violence and sexual 
        assault and place children at risk;
Whereas although public awareness of illicit drug use is increasing, emerging 
        drug threats and growing epidemics demand attention, with particular 
        focus on the nonmedical use of prescription drugs and synthetic drugs;
Whereas the majority of teenagers abusing prescription drugs get the drugs from 
        family, friends, and the home medicine cabinet;
Whereas the Drug Enforcement Administration will host a National Take Back Day 
        on October 28, 2017, for the public to safely dispose of unused or 
        expired prescription drugs that can lead to accidental poisoning, 
        overdose, and abuse;
Whereas synthetic drugs, including those popularly known as ``K2'' or ``Spice'', 
        have acknowledged dangerous health effects and have become especially 
        popular among teens and young adults;
Whereas in 2015, poison centers across the United States responded to 
        approximately 7,779 calls related to synthetic drugs;
Whereas the number of people reporting current heroin use nearly tripled between 
        2007 (161,000) and 2016 (475,000), according to the annual National 
        Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH);
Whereas fentanyl and its analogues have been devastating communities and 
        families at an unprecedented rate;
Whereas according to the DEA National Forensic Laboratory Information System 
        (``NFLIS''), from January 2013 through December 2016, a total of 50,440 
        fentanyl reports were identified by Federal, State, and local forensic 
        laboratories;
Whereas the presence of fentanyl has also posed a hazard to police officers and 
        agents;
Whereas the 2016 National Survey on Drug Use and Health data revealed 
        approximately 584,000 adolescents had a marijuana use disorder; and
Whereas parents, young people, schools, businesses, law enforcement agencies, 
        religious institutions and faith-based organizations, service 
        organizations, senior citizens, medical and military personnel, sports 
        teams, and individuals throughout the United States will demonstrate 
        their commitment to healthy, productive, and drug-free lifestyles by 
        wearing and displaying red ribbons during this week-long celebration: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the goals and ideals of Red Ribbon Week;
            (2) encourages children, teens, and other individuals to 
        choose to live drug-free lives; and
            (3) encourages the people of the United States to promote 
        the creation of drug-free communities and to participate in 
        drug prevention activities to show support for healthy, 
        productive, and drug-free lifestyles.
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