Barbara Boxer: “today I am introducing the Drug Abuse Treatment on Demand Assistance Act to help ensure that substance abuse treatment…”

“today I am introducing the Drug Abuse Treatment on Demand Assistance Act to help ensure that substance abuse treatment is available to all substance abusers who seek it. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, each year drug and alcohol related abuse kills more than 120,000 Americans. In 1999, an estimated 14.8 million Americans were illicit drug users, with nearly 5 million of them addicted to drugs. Drugs and alcohol abuse costs taxpayers nearly $276 billion annually in preventable health care costs, extra law enforcement, auto crashes, crime and lost productivity. In his final report before stepping down as America's Drug Czar, General Barry McCaffrey outlined the prescription for solving America's drug problem: ``prevention coupled with treatment accompanied by research.'' And drug treatment is now one of the goals of the National Drug Control Strategy. To meet that goal, however, will require additional investment. Through the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the federal government currently provides over $2 billion to states and local entities for drug treatment programs, and total federal spending in this area is just over $3 billion. But, fewer than half of America's nearly 5 million substance abusers are receiving treatment for their addiction. While some substance abusers are not seeking treatment, many are--and are being turned away.”