Statement by Elaine M. Johnson, Ph.D., Director, Office for Substance Abuse Prevention, Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration Before the Congressional Black Caucus

• NCJ Number: 159025
• Date Published: 1988
• Length: 13 pages
• Corporate Author: US Dept of Health and Human Services
• Sale Source: US Dept of Health and Human Services
• Publication Type: Presentation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This statement outlines the position of the Office of Substance Abuse Prevention (OSAP) toward the legalization of drugs.

Abstract

OSAP believes that drug legalization is not a viable means of reducing and eliminating drug and alcohol use among Americans, especially adolescents. The impact of legalization would be particularly hard felt in black communities, which bear the brunt of many social problems, including drug abuse. This statement addresses the dangers that drug legalization poses in terms of increasing the incidence of AIDS, making drugs available to pregnant women and addicts, and affecting the educational attainment and socioeconomic position of minority group members. Comparisons are drawn with the legal drugs of alcohol and tobacco to estimate the consequences to society in general of legalizing illicit drugs.