Political Quotes

“today I join with Senator Hatch and Senators Biden, DeWine, and Thurmond to introduce the Drug Abuse Education, Prevention, and Treatment Act of 2001. This bill provides a comprehensive approach to drug treatment, prevention, and enforcement. It is my hope that the innovative programs established by this legislation will assist all of our States in their efforts to address the drug problems that most affect our communities. No community is immune from the ravages of drug abuse. My own State of Vermont has one of the lowest crime rates in the nation, yet we are experiencing serious troubles because of the abuse of heroin and other drugs. Recent estimates indicate that heroin use in Vermont has doubled in just the past three years, and the number of people seeking drug treatment has risen even more rapidly. The average age of a first-time heroin user dropped from 27 to 17 during the 1990s, signaling a sharp rise in teenage drug abuse. The consequences of this rise have made themselves all too clear over the past months. On January 3, Christal Jones, a 16-year-old girl from Burlington, was murdered in New York City. According to news reports, she was recruited in Burlington to move to New York and become part of a prostitution ring, and she was motivated by a desire to get money to buy heroin. When she died, drugs were found in her body, although they were not the cause of her death.”