[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 70 (Friday, May 17, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S5275]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                          RISE IN COCAINE USE

 Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise today to bring to the 
Senate's attention startling new evidence of a resurgence in severe 
cocaine abuse.
  A recent study conducted and released in California reveals that the 
use of cocaine is still very much present, that it causes severe health 
problems and that it shows no signs of slowing down.
  The report, conducted by the Public Statistics Institute, found that 
emergency room admissions for cocaine abuse have soared to an all-time 
high in California.
  After a surge in cocaine morbidity during the 1980's, there was a 
significant drop in 1990, then a complete resurgence to new highs in 
1994.
  The report showed emergency-room admissions related to cocaine 
increased to 13,496 in 1994. This represents a 27-percent increase from 
the previous high of 10,660 in 1988, 79-percent increase over the 
previous low of 7,545 in 1990, and 266-percent increase over the 3,688 
admissions a decade earlier, in 1985.
  Rates were substantially higher in densely populated cities in 
southern and northern California. The State's average of 42 admissions 
per 100,000 people was 270 percent higher in San Francisco, 108 percent 
higher in Alameda County, 38 percent higher in Contra Costa County and 
47 percent higher in Los Angeles County.
  Outside the Bay Area, the rates also posted significant increases 
including a ten-fold increase in Sacramento County, 750 percent 
throughout the San Joaquin Valley, and more than 700 percent in Fresno 
County, and more than 650 percent in the central California region of 
Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, and Tulare counties.
  Thousands of cocaine users are arriving in hospitals every year for 
treatment of seizures, shock, brain hemorrhage, coma, vomiting, cardiac 
arrest, chest pain, fever, and acute paranoia. According to the study's 
researchers, these problems are only the tip of the iceberg relating to 
cocaine use.
  The decrease in 1990, perceived to be the result of Federal 
legislation regulating the chemicals to produce cocaine, appears to 
have only been a short pause in what seems to be a problem of epidemic 
proportions.
  The numbers were even more striking for patients of ethnic groups. 
The number of African-American patients soared from 63.5 per 100,000 in 
1985 to 275 per 100,000 admissions in 1994. From 1990 to 1994, 
admissions among African-Americans rose 116 percent, 115 percent among 
Latinos. In contrast, admissions rose 36 percent among whites. 
Researchers speculate that the disparity may possibly be linked to the 
recently documented rise of methamphetamine use by whites.
  In just a very short period of time, the group that conducted this 
report--The Public Statistics Institute--has established a strong 
record for their nonpartisan, objective reports on drug use and 
emergency-room admissions in the State of California.
  This group's report on methamphetamine use in California was one of 
the first reports completed that showed a real epidemic is developing. 
The earlier methamphetamine report showed a 366-percent increase in 
methamphetamine-related emergency room admissions in California from 
1984 to 1993. Hospitals in central California saw an unprecedented 
1,742-percent increase in admissions.
  I am making these comments--and I attended a hearing last week on our 
Nation's drug control strategy--because I feel eradicating drugs from 
our society is one of our most pressing challenges.
  The President's drug control plan announced last week outlines 
important steps to meet this challenge. I am pleased to endorse his 
action and urge my colleagues to do so as well.
  I am especially pleased that two of the five major strategies under 
the plan respond to problems that are especially troubling in 
California methamphetamine and drug smuggling from Mexico.
  The President has proposed a comprehensive national methamphetamine 
strategy, which will attack the problem of methamphetamine from several 
sides, including enforcement, training police, legislation, regulations 
to control precursor chemicals, environmental cleanup of clandestine 
laboratories where methamphetamine is made, international cooperation, 
public education; and treatment.
  Specific legislative proposals to help control methamphetamine 
include two provisions which are very similar to sections of the 
Methamphetamine Control Act, which I introduced earlier this year in a 
bipartisan effort with Senators Grassley, Reid and Kyl increase 
penalties for trafficking in precursor chemicals required to make 
methamphetamine, and impose stiff civil penalties on chemical supply 
houses that furnish vital precursor chemicals to clandestine 
methamphetamine laboratories.
  Senator John McCain recently joined us in cosponsoring the 
Methamphetamine Control Act, and I am hopeful that the distinguished 
chairman of the Judiciary Committee will hold hearings on this bill in 
the very near future.
  Passing legislation on methamphetamine alone will not solve our 
Nation's drug crisis.
  We must also commit our resources to fighting the entry of drugs 
across our border, from Mexico.
  Mexico is the dominant entry point for the illegal drugs which flow 
into our country and especially into my State of California.
  The Southwest Border Initiative--which is another very important part 
of the President's anti-drug strategy--adds hundreds of new enforcement 
agents and prosecutors to our border with Mexico, where they are sorely 
needed, including 657 additional Customs staff at ports of entry along 
the border; 700 new Border Patrol agents; and new agents for the DEA 
and FBI.
  Overall, the President's Drug Control Strategy calls for increased 
funding for drug control to rise from $13.8 billion to $15.1 billion in 
the next 2 years.
  In the end, I'm sure my colleagues will agree that we don't need 
another report to tell us just how bad the drug problem has become in 
this country.
  We're losing an entire generation to the scourge of drugs. With the 
increasing availability of methamphetamine and crack, the problem is 
only going to get worse.
  Congress must choke off the supply of these drugs and set tough, 
strong penalties against those who profit from the drug trade.
  There are three steps each Member of Congress can take, starting 
today, that will take steps toward this goal.
  First, support the President's drug control strategy, including the 
budget requests necessary to carry it out. It's a Presidential year, so 
some on the other side of the aisle may be less likely to support this 
plan. I urge everyone in this Chamber to review the plan, make it 
better, but pass it quickly.
  Second, pass the Methamphetamine Control Act of 1996, which has 
bipartisan support and which makes reasonable steps of stopping this 
horrendous drug from spreading from the Western states to the entire 
Nation.
  Third, speak out against drugs in our communities, to our young 
people, so we can reach them before it is too late. No more message, in 
the end, is more effective than for everyone--community leaders, 
elected officials, and, most important, parents--to give a resounding 
message to our young people to stay away from drugs.
  I thank the Chair for this opportunity and I yield the floor.

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