[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 184 (Sunday, October 25, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S6601]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 763--SUPPORTING THE DESIGNATION OF OCTOBER 2020 AS 
             ``NATIONAL SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH''

  Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself and Mr. Grassley) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions:

                              S. Res. 763

       Whereas initiation of substance use during adolescence is 
     associated with substance use and misuse in adulthood;
       Whereas, in 2019, more than 8,000,000 people in the United 
     States aged 12 and older used a controlled substance for the 
     first time;
       Whereas, in 2019, an estimated 35,000,000 people in the 
     United States aged 12 and older used an illicit drug, 
     including cocaine and methamphetamine;
       Whereas more than 20,000,000 people in the United States 
     aged 12 and older had a substance use disorder in 2019, 
     including more than 8,000,000 individuals who had an illicit 
     drug use disorder;
       Whereas, in 2019, an estimated 4,200,000 people in the 
     United States aged 12 and older received some form of 
     substance use disorder treatment;
       Whereas, in 2019, an estimated 72,000 lives in the United 
     States were lost to largely preventable drug overdoses;
       Whereas illicit drug use and the misuse of prescription 
     opioids costs the United States $271,500,000,000 annually;
       Whereas Federal funding to prevent substance use and misuse 
     was cut by nearly 34 percent between fiscal years 2009 and 
     2020;
       Whereas every dollar invested in substance use and misuse 
     prevention programs can provide a savings of up to $20 in 
     substance use and misuse treatment, health care, and criminal 
     justice costs;
       Whereas Congress has sought to expand access to prevention, 
     treatment, and recovery services through passage of, among 
     other measures, the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act 
     of 2016 (Public Law 114-198; 130 Stat. 695);
       Whereas substance use and misuse prevention and treatment 
     organizations in the United States recognize October as 
     ``National Substance Abuse Prevention Month'';
       Whereas October 24, 2020, is the second anniversary of the 
     enactment of the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that 
     Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and 
     Communities Act (Public Law 115-271; 132 Stat. 3894); and
       Whereas the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has increased social 
     isolation for many people in the United States, which can 
     lead to a greater use and misuse of legal and illegal 
     substances: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) supports effective programs to prevent substance use 
     and misuse, including community-based prevention programs 
     such as the Drug-Free Communities Support Program;
       (2) recognizes that certain substances are being misused at 
     higher rates among adults during the COVID-19 pandemic, 
     potentially due to the stress and social isolation associated 
     with the public health emergency;
       (3) supports additional research and expanded access to 
     effective programs to prevent substance use and misuse during 
     the COVID-19 pandemic;
       (4) supports programs to help stem the drug addiction and 
     overdose epidemic in the United States; and
       (5) supports the designation of October 2020 as ``National 
     Substance Abuse Prevention Month''.

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