[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 2]
[Senate]
[Page 2342]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              NATIONAL DRUG PREVENTION AND EDUCATION WEEK

 Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I speak today in recognition of 
National Drug Prevention and Education Week. One of the most serious 
issues facing our youth in rural America and throughout the United 
States is drug use and abuse. Drug abuse and addiction is a problem 
that never seems to go away and prevention and education are two of the 
most important steps that we can take to ensure the welfare of our next 
generation while preserving our current generation. As a nation, we 
cannot sit idly by and watch the trend of substance abuse grow.
  We, as a community, must continue fighting the challenges imposed by 
drugs on our communities. We have to face the fact that cocaine, 
marijuana, and heroin remain a constant threat. We cannot ignore the 
rapidly increasing use of meth or the abuse of prescription drugs in 
our rural communities across South Dakota and throughout the Nation. I 
will continue to seek funding for organizations and programs like South 
Dakota's Glory House Methamphetamine Addiction Treatment Center and 
Martin Addiction Recovery Center to help those addicted to drugs and 
alcohol. We cannot afford to let these and other programs disappear 
from lack of funding. As we all know, the devastating effects of drug 
addition do not just affect those who are addicted, but everyone around 
them. The services they provide to addicts and families of addicts are 
irreplaceable in communities in South Dakota. We have a responsibility 
to our citizens, our State, and our Nation to continue the fight 
against drug use, abuse and addiction.
  Education and prevention are the first steps in this fight against 
substance abuse. For that reason, the Senate passed S. Res. 434, a 
resolution designating this week as National Drug Prevention and 
Education Week. We urge local communities, schools, friends, youths and 
parents to carry out drug education and drug prevention activities not 
only throughout this designated week, but throughout the year so we can 
continue to beat back the horrible tide of drug use and abuse to 
preserve the health of our Nation for years to come.

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