CADCA Statement On President Barack Obama's Address On Prescription Drug Abuse And Heroin Use
WASHINGTON, Oct. 21, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) supports President Barack Obama's remarks this afternoon on prescription drug abuse and heroin use at a community forum in West Virginia, a state significantly impacted by this epidemic.
"We commend the President for speaking out on this important issue, which is devastating families and communities across our nation. The community forum underscored the importance of reducing the stigma around substance abuse addictions and the need for all sectors of society to work hand-in-hand in comprehensive solutions.
The President's Fiscal Year 2016 budget includes $133 million in new investments aimed at addressing the opioid epidemic, including expanding state-level prescription drug overdose prevention strategies. CADCA applauds President Obama's commitment to reducing prescription drug misuse and opioid abuse with these kinds of resources.
CADCA and our 5,000 coalitions have worked for 15 years on this issue, and we will continue to work on this until we have resolved this epidemic. CADCA would also like to acknowledge Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell and Michael Botticelli, the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, for their efforts," said Gen. Arthur T. Dean, CADCA Chairman and CEO.
A member of CADCA's Coalition Advisory Committee, Greg Puckett, the Mercer County, WV Commissioner, was on hand, along with several other CADCA members.
The Obama Administration also announced public and private sector efforts to address prescription drug abuse and heroin use, which included a number of new commitments from organizations across the country, including CADCA. CADCA has committed to: train 2,000 youth leaders across the country about the dangers of prescription drug abuse; train 12,000 youth and adult leaders on effective prescription drug abuse prevention strategies; and hold 100 community forums to mobilize youth and adult leaders on this issue in 2016.
CADCA (Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America) is the membership organization representing over 5,000 coalitions and affiliates working to make the world's communities safe, healthy and drug-free. CADCA's mission is to strengthen the capacity of community coalitions to create and maintain safe, healthy and drug-free communities globally. Learn more at: www.cadca.org.
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Jessica Joisten, 703-706-0560, Ext. 256
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