Political Quotes

“I rise in support of the Drug-Free Community Act of 1997. Mr. Speaker, youth substance abuse is an enormous problem. Studies show that children who use drugs are two to five times more likely to drop out of school. One-quarter of our health care costs are related to substance abuse, and more than half of all child and spousal abuse cases are related to substance abuse. Unfortunately, we are not winning the war on teenage drug abuse. In the last 3 years teenage drug use has risen 78 percent. LSD and hallucinogen use has increased 183 percent, and cocaine use is up 166 percent. The Monitoring the Future Study just released in December found that the increase in teenage drug use is caused in part by the fact that youngsters have heard less about the dangers of drugs. The message will more likely reach our children, our teens, when all sectors of the community, schools, media, law enforcement, and parent groups join together in a coordinated attack against teenage substance abuse. Fortunately this bill goes right to the root of the problem and provides matching grants of up to $100,000 a year to community coalitions that are working together to get the message to our teens.”