Locally based anti-drug groups such as CADCA (Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America) and PRIDE (National Parents’ Resource Institute for Drug Education) can expect a major increase in federal funding thanks to legislation approved by Congress on June 20.
H.R. 956, the “Drug-Free Communities Act,” authorizes the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to appropriate $143,500,000 over five years to community-based anti-drug groups that “demonstrate a comprehensive, long term commitment to reduce substance abuse among youth.” Rep. Bob Portman (R-Ohio), sponsor of the measure and a CADCA board member, described the bill as “a fundamentally different approach to addressing the nation’s drug crisis.” The legislation now awaits President Bill Clinton’s signature.
Ironically, the measure’s supporters cite conflicting findings as endorsements for the legislation. Section 1021 states that, “Substance abuse among youth has more than doubled in the five-year period preceding 1996, with substantial increases in the use of marijuana, inhalants, cocaine, methamphetamine, LSD, and heroin.” Conversely, the bill later states that, “Community anti-drug coalitions throughout the United States are successfully developing and implementing comprehensive, long-term strategies to reduce substance abuse among youth on a sustained basis.” NORML Executive Director R. Keith Stroup, Esq. questioned this apparent conflict.
“How can Congress claim that local anti-drug coalitions are successfully combating youth drug use while also maintaining that youth drug use has significantly increased every year since 1991?” Stroup asked. “The age group experiencing the greatest increase in drug use is the same group that has been subject to the most comprehensive anti-drug education campaign in our nation’s history. Unfortunately, that campaign — based primarily on lies and exaggerations regarding the potential dangers of marijuana — is totally ineffective.”
Stroup also reinforced NORML’s opposition to adolescent drug use. “NORML opposes the use of marijuana, or other drugs including alcohol and tobacco, by adolescents. NORML remains committed to the notion that adolescents should grow up drug-free. However, NORML also opposes legislation that would designate taxpayers dollars into the hands of propaganda groups that have failed to demonstrate success at preventing adolescent drug use.”
For more information, please contact either R. Keith Stroup or Paul Armentano of NORML at (202) 483-5500. For more information on community-based anti-drug coalitions, please contact Allen St. Pierre of The NORML Foundation at (202) 483-8751.