WASHINGTON, May 28 (AScribe Newswire) -- Following is a statement by General Arthur T. Dean, Chairman and CEO of Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA), regarding a report issued today by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University. According to Shoveling Up II: The Impact of Substance Abuse on Federal, State and Local Budgets, the detrimental effects and consequences of substance abuse and addiction cost federal, state and local governments at least $467.7 billion in 2005. Despite this, only 1.9 percent of federal and state spending went to prevention and treatment.
"The CASA Report, Shoveling Up II shines a light on the sad fact that our national and state spending on tobacco, alcohol and drug abuse is upside down. When only 1.9 cents of every dollar spent on substance abuse and addiction goes to prevention and treatment, something is seriously wrong. Obviously, addiction has huge economic and health consequences to our nation, and yet we miss the tremendous savings that can be found in prevention. Let's make this clear. Addiction is both a preventable and treatable disease, and recovery is a reality for millions of Americans."
"The CASA Report issued today underscores the critical importance of stopping drug abuse before it starts. But instead of increasing federal commitments to prevention, we are facing reductions. An example is the President's 2010 budget request which educes prevention funding by 10.6 percent overall and zeroes out the State Grants portion of the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities (SDFSC) program. CADCA and many prevention advocates across the country are fighting to save this school based prevention infrastructure."
"The report mentions the importance of comprehensive prevention programs. Community anti-drug coalitions plan, implement and evaluate community-wide strategies to change norms and environments and achieve population level reductions in substance use and abuse. This proven-effective strategy continues to receive strong support from the Administration and Congress."
A fact sheet developed by CADCA, entitled "Eliminating the State Grants Portion of the Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities Program Is NOT a Sound Proposal" is available at http://www.cadca.org/coalitionresources/pp-documents/SDFSC/PBR_Not_a_Sound_Proposal.pdf .
A second fact sheet, entitled "The State Grants Portion of the Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities Program Must Be Maintained," is available at http://www.cadca.org/coalitionresources/pp-documents/SDFSC/SDFSC_Must_Be_Maintained.pdf .
CADCA (Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America), is the national membership organization representing coalitions working to make America's communities safe, healthy and drug-free. CADCA's mission is to build and strengthen the capacity of community coalitions by providing technical assistance and training, public policy advocacy, media strategies and marketing programs, conferences, and special events.
For more information about CADCA, visit http://www.cadca.org .
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CONTACT: Mary Elizabeth Elliott, CADCA Communications, 703-706-0560 x247
Media Contact: See above.
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