White House Drug Policy Office Awards More Than $84 Million to Local Communities to Prevent Youth Substance Use

(Washington D.C.) – Today, Gil Kerlikowske, Director of National Drug Control Policy, announced $84.6 million in Drug-Free Communities Support Program (DFC) grants to 692 communities across the country.  These grants will provide local communities support to prevent youth substance use and reduce the demand for drug consumption in the United States.  Kerlikowske made the announcement during an address to the Council on Foreign Relations.

“America’s success in the 21st century depends in part on our ability to help young people make decisions that will keep them healthy and safe,” said Gil Kerlikowske, Director of National Drug Control Policy. “We commend the Drug-Free Communities Support Program grantees on their work to raise a generation of young people equipped to remain drug-free and ready to prosper in school, in their communities, and in the workplace.  While law enforcement efforts will always serve a vital role in keeping our communities safe, we know that stopping drug use before it ever begins is always the smartest and most cost-effective way to reduce drug use and its consequences.”

The Drug-Free Communities Support Program is directed by ONDCP, in partnership with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).  The DFC Program provides grants of up to $625,000 over five years to community coalitions that facilitate youth and adult participation at the community level in local youth drug prevention efforts. Coalitions are comprised of community leaders, parents, youth, teachers, religious and fraternal organizations, healthcare and business professionals, law enforcement, and media.  The Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition is receiving $125,000 in DFC Funding.

In April, the Obama Administration released the 2012 National Drug Control Strategy, the Obama Administration’s primary blueprint for drug policy in the United States.  The new Strategy is guided by three facts: addiction is a disease that can be prevented and treated; people with substance use disorders can recover; and innovative new criminal justice reforms can stop the revolving door of drug use, crime, incarceration, release, and re-arrest.

The rate of overall drug use in the United States has declined by roughly 30 percent since 1979. More recently, there has been a nearly 40 percent reduction in the number of current cocaine users and the number of current meth users has dropped by half.  To build on this progress and support a balance of public health and safety approaches to drug control outlined in the Strategy, the Obama Administration has committed over $10 billion for drug education programs and support for expanding access to drug treatment for people suffering from substance use disorders in FY 2012.  

For more information about the Administration efforts to reduce drug use and its consequences, or to learn more about the Drug Free Communities Support Program, visit: www.whitehouse.gov/ondcp

October is National Substance Abuse Prevention Month

The Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition supports the Office of National Drug Control Policy’s second annual National Substance Abuse Prevention Month, which was launched by a Presidential Proclamation this week. You can read the proclamation here.  

In 2011, 20.6 million Americans were classified with substance dependence or abuse. National Substance Abuse Prevention Month is a prime opportunity to rally together and put the spotlight on substance abuse and those affected by this issue. It’s also a chance to recognize the organizations that provide substance abuse prevention services and to share resources that are available to prevent substance use problems before they start.

On Oct.18, the first-ever National Above the Influence Day will be celebrated in communities throughout the country. Coalitions will be able to hold events and activities that reinforce the Above the Influence campaign. 

Study Finds Alcohol and Drug Abuse Common in Fatal Crashes

The journal Addiction released results of a study this week that says more than half of U.S. drivers killed in car crashes had alcohol or drugs in their system at the time of the crash, Reuters reports. 

Using data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on road deaths in 14 states, researchers also found that men and people driving at night were the most likely to have alcohol, marijuana or other illicit or prescription drugs show up on a toxicology screen after the accident. 

"More than half of fatally injured drivers in the United States had been using alcohol or other drugs and approximately 20 percent had been using (two or more) drugs," wrote Joanne Brady of Columbia University and her colleagues. 

Alcohol was the most common drug, followed by marijuana and stimulants, including amphetamines. One in five had multiple drugs in their systems at the time of the fatal crashes, researchers found. 

Sixty percent of men killed while driving had drugs or alcohol in their system, compared to less than half of women. People who had an accident at night or on the weekend were also more likely to test positive than those driving on a weekday.

Mixing Alcohol and Drugs Account for 37 Percent of Substance Abuse Treatment Admissions

A new report shows that 37.2 percent of substance abuse treatment admissions involve both alcohol and drug abuse. According to a report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 23.1 percent of all admissions reported the abuse of alcohol and one other drug, and 14.1 percent reported the abuse of alcohol and two or more drugs. 

The report, “Nearly 40 percent of Substance Abuse Treatment Admissions Report Alcohol-Drug Combinations” is based on SAMHSA’s Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS) received during 2009 and up through Nov. 3, 2010. TEDS is a compilation of data on the demographic characteristics and substance abuse problems of admission to substance abuse treatment facilities in the United States, primarily facilities that receive public funding. 

When alcohol is used with other drugs, it tends to be ingested in greater quantities than when used alone. Combining alcohol with other drugs can be dangerous. For example, taking benzodiazepines concurrently with alcohol increases the chances of serious injury or death. 

Professionals and individuals who need to identify appropriate drug and alcohol treatment services in their area can access SAMHSA’s online treatment locator at:http://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/TreatmentLocator/faces/quickSearch.jspx.

Synthetic Drug Industry Investigated by Nation-wide Law Enforcement Take Down

The DEA and other federal law-enforcement partners held a press conference today to present the results of Operation Log Jam, the first-ever nationwide law-enforcement action against the synthetic drug industry responsible for the production and sale of synthetic marijuana and other drugs that are often marketed as incense, bath salts or plant food. 

“Any drug that is marketed to young people is of great concern to us. So little is known about these substances, we don’t know what the long term results will be,” Michelle Leonhart, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Administrator, said. “What really did it for DEA was the outpouring of requests for help from police and sheriffs as they were seeing this in their communities all over the country.” 

Leonhart and others who spoke to reporters at the press conference called synthetic drugs a “rapidly emerging threat” to people of all ages, especially youth. 

Operations occurred in 100 American cities and included raids in businesses such as head shops, gas stations, convenience stores, and smoke shops as well as manufacturing sites in warehouses and residences. 

Leonhart and her colleagues acknowledged the work conducted at the local and state level, with more than 30 states banning various compounds of synthetic drugs. Coalitions have been able to shut down some retailers selling synthetic drugs, but had been challenged by the more popular online sales. The law outlaws sales of synthetic drugs by both retail stores and online retailers. 

Earlier this month, President Obama signed into law new drug legislation that will permanently ban the deadly chemical compounds marketed and sold as bath salts and incense in the United States. It also outlaws similar compounds that may be produced in the future. The law bans the active ingredients of bath salts, mephedrone and methylenedioxypyrovalerone, by adding them to the Food and Drug Administration’s category of substances that cannot be sold under any circumstances and also cannot be prescribed for medical purposes. The law enumerates 31 compounds that are explicitly banned, giving the precise chemical name of each. Twenty from the list are synthetic marijuana varieties, and 10 are bath salts.