Political Quotes

“I rise to speak on a matter of great importance to me. Recently, I met with Gil Kerlikowske, Director of National Drug Control Policy and his Deputy Director for Demand Reduction, David Mineta. In that meeting, they shared alarming information with me about the rates of prescription drug abuse among veterans and active duty military personnel. The Office of National Drug Control Policy, ONDCP, and the Centers for Disease Control have characterized the rate of prescription drug abuse in our country as an epidemic, with rates of unintentional drug overdose deaths having increased fivefold since 1990. Our active duty military forces and veterans are not immune from this disturbing trend. In the 2008 Department of Defense Survey of Health Related Behaviors among Active Duty Military Personnel, prescription drug misuse was reported by one in nine personnel in the past month and nearly one in five in the past year. Further, the percentage of men and women reporting prescription drug misuse in all military services combined--11.5 percent--was more than twice that of the civilian population in the age group 18-64--4.4 percent. Unfortunately, substance abuse remains a problem for newly returning veterans as well.”