[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 123 (Wednesday, September 16, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1734-E1736]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    PROMOTION OF A DRUG-FREE AMERICA

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BOB ETHERIDGE

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 16, 1998

  Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to promote the Drug-Free 
America Blue Ribbon Campaign. As part of a resolution detailing how our 
children are at risk, the U.S. House of Representatives has declared 
September 13-19, 1998, as Blue Ribbon Week. This selected week, shortly 
after most children return to school, allows Americans to join together 
in waging a strong campaign to win the War on Drugs by the year 2002. 
We must protect our children from drugs and we must support our law 
enforcement community in the fight to keep our streets safe.
  The efforts to reduce the incidence of substance abuse, including 
abuse of alcohol and illicit, drugs is a major public policy issue in 
the United States. An estimated 52 million Americans experience a 
mental health or substance abuse problem every year, with less

[[Page E1735]]

than half obtaining treatment. According to the state health 
department, 343,000 residents of North Carolina are in need of 
comprehensive substance abuse treatment. Over the last 30 years, 
Congress has initiated a variety of federal efforts supporting the 
prevention and treatment of, and research relating to, substance abuse 
and mental illness.
  The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 
(SAMHSA), an agency of the Department of Health and Human Services, is 
responsible for supporting mental health and substance abuse prevention 
and treatment services throughout the country by providing technical 
assistance, categorical grants, and block grants to the states. This 
vital agency was created in 1992 and provides funds to states for 
alcohol and drug prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation programs and 
activities.
  Providing sufficient funds to states for drug prevention is vital to 
winning the war on drugs. Without adequate funding, states will not be 
able to provide the necessary treatment and assistance to those in 
need. The Administration has requested a proposed funding level of 
$17.1 billion next year in National Drug Control Funding, a 6.8% 
increase over the estimated $15.9 billion provided in Fiscal Year 1998. 
In addition to increased funding, the Administration has also proposed 
a National Drug strategy. The drug initiatives in the new strategy 
build on five goals: (1) Motivate youth to reject illegal drugs & 
substance abuse; (2) reduce drug-related crime and violence; (3) reduce 
health, welfare, and crime costs resulting from illegal drug use; (4) 
shield the U.S. frontiers from the drug threat; and (5) break foreign 
and domestic drug supply sources. Congress must do its part and support 
the Administration's efforts.
  Protecting our children from drugs and supporting safe streets and 
communities are top priorities for me. I strongly believe we must not 
retreat in our battle to save people from the scourge of alcohol and 
drugs that destroys so many precious lives. As the former two-term 
Superintendent of North Carolina's public schools, I know firsthand the 
importance of strong anti-drug abuse programs. I supported and worked 
on the Safe and Drug Free Schools Program during my tenure as 
Superintendent, and I oppose the effort of some Republican Members to 
terminate Safe and Drug-Free Schools.
  As the Representative of the Second District of North Carolina, I am 
committed to continuing to work to protect our nation from the dangers 
of drug abuse. I am also strongly committed to assisting the state and 
grassroots organizations in my district who know first hand how to 
combat the devastation of drug use. I believe that it is vitally 
important to keep an open line of communication with hospitals, 
treatment programs, and other grassroots organizations to gain valuable 
input into how we can move forward together in this fight to erase 
drugs from our streets.
  Since taking office, I have been honored to visit many groups and 
organizations in the Second Congressional District who are diligently 
working to rid their communities of drugs. In order for us to claim 
victory in this effort, we must break the cycle of drugs and crime and 
help state and local governments implement drug testing and treatment 
for drug abusers. In December of last year, I met with the Sanford 
Chamber of Commerce Drug Action Committee located in Sanford, North 
Carolina. This group, comprised of concerned citizens, meets on a 
regular basis to coordinate programs and provide information to combat 
the substance abuse problems in Lee County. The group's goals include 
involvement of local students to increase community awareness and 
communications with area legislators to keep us informed of breakdowns 
in the judicial system and sentencing for offenders.
  Earlier this year, I met with staff and toured the Triangle 
Residential Options of Substance Abusers (TROSA), located in the 
Research Triangle Park of North Carolina. TROSA is a two year 
residential self-help initiative serving drug and alcohol abusers. For 
some, TROSA serves as an alternative to incarceration. The only program 
of its type in the Triangle, TROSA serves men and women at no cost to 
the individual. Residents reside in a highly structured environment for 
two years. The initiative emphasizes vocational training, education, 
and interpersonal communication skills. There are three major rules 
governing all TROSA residents: there is to be no use of drugs or 
alcohol; no threats of violence; and no acts of violence. TROSA is 
known throughout North Carolina for its success rate and works closely 
with North Carolina universities to provide valuable educational and 
self-help programs for its residents.
  In July of this year, I joined the Johnston County Drug Action 
Coalition (JCDAC) in the National Drug Control Policy Town Meeting 
Anti-Drug Campaign with the President and the Director of the Office of 
the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) General Barry 
McCaffrey. JCDAC, which is located in Smithfield, North Carolina and is 
run by Dr. Judith Coats Kolcum, joined the Johnston Community College 
family, law enforcement officials, drug groups and students in this 
national discussion on drugs. JCDAC's mission includes a comprehensive, 
long range educational approach addressing not only problems but 
offering solutions. Its their belief that the use of illegal drugs, the 
abuse and/or misuse of alcohol affects every citizen of their County 
and the state. The ugly results of addictions are seen through the loss 
of health, lost of income, increase in crime, broken homes and quality 
of life in general. As a solution, JCDAC offers that the cycle of 
addiction and drug abuse can be broken, by providing effective 
prevention policies to assure that addiction treatment is available and 
accessible to all who need it.

  Also participating in the Town Meeting was the Day By Day Treatment 
Center. The Day By Day Center is located in a peaceful rural area of 
Johnston County, just outside of the town of Selma, North Carolina. Day 
By Day is a grassroots organization that has been instrumental in 
delivering treatment services to those individuals struggling with 
substance abuse issues. The Center is a modern facility which offers an 
intensive concentrated program of drug and alcohol addiction recovery 
education, based on the traditional Twelve Step Programs of Alcoholics 
Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous. At this time, I ask unanimous 
consent to enter into the record a statement prepared by Ed Ward, 
Executive Director of the Day By Day Treatment Center of Johnston 
County, Inc.
  Many believe that legalization is the answer to efforts to control 
drug use. I strongly disagree with this observation, and based on 
recent polls 70% of Americans also disagree with drug legalization. 
According to the ONDCP Director General McCaffrey, lacking the present 
combined social disapproval, illegality, and law enforcement efforts 
against illicit drugs, the number of chronic addicts would skyrocket 
from an estimated 4 million or less addicts today to 15 to 20 million. 
I strongly agree with General McCaffrey, and believe that drug 
legalization would increase drug use in the public schools, create 
higher numbers of drug addicts and overdoses, and more drug-related 
crimes.
  The House is expected to vote this week on legislation to promote an 
agenda of zero tolerance of drugs. These bills which I strongly 
support, take necessary steps to win the War on Drugs. They are as 
follows:
  H.J. Res 117, Opposing Medicinal Marijuana. The measure expresses the 
opposition of Congress to legalizing marijuana for medical use.
  H.R. 4006, Lethal Drug Abuse Prevention Act. The measure revokes the 
right to prescribe drugs for doctors who have dispensed drugs for the 
purpose of assisting a suicide.
  H.R. 4300, Western Hemisphere Drug Elimination Act. The bill is 
expected to strengthen international efforts to combat the trafficking 
of illegal drugs into the United States.
  H.R. 4550, the Drug Demand Reduction Act. The measure would authorize 
funds for a national anti-drug media campaign; creates programs to 
promote drug-free workplaces, prisons and schools, and to reduce drug 
use by teenage drivers; provides market incentives for drug companies 
to develop anti-addiction medications; and consolidates certain Federal 
anti-drug programs.
  Mr. Speaker, I'd like to close by saying that we have a tough battle 
ahead in order to reach our goal of total eradication of drugs by the 
year 2002. We must work with school groups, civic organizations, and 
anti-drug coalitions to increase public awareness about America's drug 
crisis and establish a consistent ``no-use'' drug message. I pledge to 
do my part in supporting legislation that will further our goals, and 
protect our nation from the perils of drugs. I urge my colleagues to 
join this effort and show the world that we are committed to work 
together on a bipartisan basis to wipe out drug use in America.
  A great number of reliable statistical studies* show and prove that 
addiction disease (alcohol and drug dependency) is our nation's number 
one health problem. Approximately 18 million Americans are addicted to 
alcohol. Almost 13 million Americans over 12 years old have used 
illegal drugs within the last month and another 11 million abuse 
tranquilizers and other psychotropic medications. Addiction disease 
costs every citizen of our nation about $1,000 a year for unnecessary 
health care, added law-enforcement, automobile wrecks, crime, and lost 
productivity. The tragedy that the disease inflicts upon the emotions 
and psychological well-being of families is immeasurable.
  Public policy toward addressing addiction disease is aimed too 
heavily at cutting supply rather than toward prevention, education and 
treatment. Addiction disease continues to be

[[Page E1736]]

viewed with stigma, its victims seen as morally weak, often criminal or 
bad rather than sick people suffering from a chronic biopsychosocial 
illness.
  In my own district, I'm brought face to face with the reality of 
untreated addiction disease and the difficulty of persons getting 
appropriate treatment. I recently conversed with representatives from 
Day By Day Treatment Center located in Selma, North Carolina who 
informed me that the treatment facility faces tremendous economic 
pressure due to cutbacks in Medicaid funding, managed care denials of 
appropriate services, ongoing stigma, and other adversities. This 
occurs when there is great need and existent studies pointing to the 
reality that treatment works.
  Without appropriate treatment, victims of addiction disease are cost 
shifted to the criminal justice system or more expensive medical care 
to address other diseases such as cirrhosis of the liver which are 
secondary to untreated addiction disease.
  It costs about $6000 to treat a victim of addiction disease as an 
inpatient at Day By Day Treatment Center or about $2500 for an 
outpatient program when appropriate. The tragedy is that our health 
care system cost shifts to the criminal justice system where the cost 
is up to $37,000 annually to keep one person in prison who wouldn't be 
there in the first place had addiction disease been addressed 
initially.
  As a nation we must:
  Treat addiction disease on an equal basis with treatment of other 
diseases.
  Provide for a more well educated citizenry in addiction disease from 
layman to professional.
  Provide for more research aimed at better treatment and more 
appropriate outcome studies.
  Today, so many of our society's ills can be traced directly to 
addiction disease. Let us all not only be acutely aware of the 
tremendous amount of work that needs to be done in addressing addiction 
disease, but also of the enormous opportunity and possibility to 
enhance all of our lives if we will make the effort.
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     *Note that some statistical references were obtained from: 
     Treatment Addiction/Advancing the Common Good a Join Together 
     publication.

                          ____________________