[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 120 (Thursday, September 5, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H10047]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          DRUG USE AMONG TEENS

  (Mr. HOKE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. HOKE. Mr. Speaker, I looked at this survey that has been 
completed by HHS about drug use among teenagers. I do not get it. I am 
confused about why.
  Here we have got overall drug use that has doubled in the last 4 
years. Remember that after there was a substantial decline, Mr. 
Speaker, during the 1980's and the early 1990's, in the past 4 years 
overall drug use has nearly doubled. Marijuana use is up 105 percent. 
LSD is up 183 percent. Cocaine is up 166 percent. Inquiring minds wants 
to know why.

                              {time}  1015

  Why, Mr. Speaker, what has changed? What has happened? What can we 
look to? What is the explanation?
  Mr. Speaker, I was the first invitee at a townhall meeting for the 
homeless in Cleveland about a week ago, and I asked those people what 
is the No. 1 problem that got them to this situation that they find 
themselves in, and they said drugs.

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