[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 15]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 20169]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   NATIONAL ADDICTION RECOVERY MONTH

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 13, 2005

  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, as we celebrate National Addiction 
Recovery Month this September, I would be honored to have Congress join 
me in celebrating those who commit their time and effort to addiction 
recovery.
  Last year, over 19 million Americans used illicit drugs. Fifty-five 
million had engaged in binge drinking, and over 16 million are 
considered heavy drinkers. These numbers are more than just statistics. 
If you take the time to examine them, they are in fact quite 
staggering. Imagine if the entire populations of New York and Los 
Angeles combined were all illicit drug users. Imagine if the entire 
population of Florida were heavy drinkers. That's how prevalent the 
problem is. The impact is felt not only by individuals and their 
families, but by society as well. Addiction costs our society and 
economy billions of dollars each year, in health care costs, property 
damage, and lost productivity. It also costs lives, and causes immense 
amounts of grief and pain. Each one of those millions of Americans has 
a story, and we should ensure that each one of them has the chance to 
tell their story to an addiction counselor, in hopes that they will 
receive the necessary treatment and care. Addiction is a disease, as 
serious and as deadly as many others. Alcohol and drug addiction are 
very serious, and very destructive. No one is immune from addiction, as 
it afflicts people of all ages, all races, all classes, and all 
professions.
  As with any serious disease, the treatment for addiction relies on 
great amounts of research and advances in health sciences. The National 
Institutes of Health is a leader in this regard, and many of its 27 
institutes have committed funds to research on addiction, including 
research on how addiction takes over the brain, the body, and the 
central nervous system. Two institutes in particular at NIH focus only 
on this issue of critical importance: The National Institute on Drug 
Abuse, and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. For 
many decades, these two institutes have been making tremendous strides 
in the fight against addiction. Congress spends billions of dollars 
each year on addiction research, and these institutes have justified 
our faith and commitment to this issue.
  Too often, problems in our society carry with them a certain stigma. 
Addiction is one such problem. Thousands, if not millions, of people do 
not seek treatment for addiction because of a misunderstanding of their 
condition, both on their behalf and on society's behalf. NIDA and NIAAA 
have both sought to understand this stigma, and bring it to an end. Led 
by Dr. Nora Volkow and Dr. T.K. Li, respectively, NIDA and NIAAA are 
constantly making progress to improve our understanding and treatment 
of addiction. Addiction is a disease, and must be attacked as such. Our 
fight against it must be aggressive and unyielding. Both NIDA and NIAAA 
fund scientists all over the country, who in turn will one day unlock 
the mysteries of addiction and its impact on individuals and society.
  NIDA and NIAAA provide the ammunition for the troops on the front 
lines battling this disease. I am referring of course to the addiction 
counselors, who must daily encounter the difficult task of prevention, 
intervention, and treatment. These foot-soldiers in our war against 
addiction need all of the support we can give them. I believe, Mr. 
Speaker, that we can show our support for them through our strong 
support for NIDA, NIAAA, and the other NIH institutes committed to 
solving the enigma of addiction.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask you and all of my colleagues to join me in 
recognizing the priceless contributions of NIDA, NIAAA, and addiction 
counselors, and giving them our gratitude. Congress has shown strong 
support for this issue in the past in several ways--through 
legislation, through funding for the National Institutes of Health and 
the CDC, and through displaying a constant awareness of the gravity of 
this issue. Yet we are far from victory, and must continue our 
steadfast fight against drug and alcohol addiction. We look forward to 
the day when addiction to drugs and alcohol are eradicated, and these 
wonderful professionals can take their final bow. Until then, their 
hard work should be recognized and, more importantly, honored and 
appreciated.

                          ____________________