cannabisnews.com: Federal Agencies Host National Assembly on Drugs





Federal Agencies Host National Assembly on Drugs
Posted by FoM on December 06, 1999 at 17:38:27 PT
By Associated Press
Source: Boston Globe
The U.S. Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services and the Office of National Drug Control Policy have invited nearly 900 policymakers and criminal justice and public health practitioners from across the country to explore ways to reduce crime and cut public spending by building more comprehensive approaches to drug and alcohol abuse by adult and juvenile offenders. 
Federal, state, and local teams will convene in Washington, D.C., December 7-9 to discuss opportunities to intervene and hold offenders accountable for their substance abuse problems and related criminal behavior. "Communities across the country are using community-oriented policing, drug courts, treatment in jails and prisons, and post-release supervision to keep offenders substance and crime free," said Attorney General Janet Reno. "This National Assembly will provide federal, state, and local officials the opportunity to share information about innovative approaches they have used to deal with substance-abusing offenders." A recent Bureau of Justice Statistics report on offenders on probation found that of the 62 percent who had admitted to using alcohol at the time of their offense, only 32 percent were receiving treatment. Further, although 53 percent of the offenders surveyed admitted to using drugs at the time of their offense, only 17 percent were receiving treatment. "Each year almost 500,000 offenders are released from state prisons into communities. Many of them are released without receiving the treatment they need to successfully rejoin their communities," said ONDCP Director Barry McCaffrey. "Our goal is to encourage the use of treatment and other interventions in all phases of the criminal justice system. We view this Assembly as a chance to galvanize the public safety and public health communities in a comprehensive effort to break the tragic cycle of drugs and crime." U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala added, "If America is ever going to break free of the cycle of substance abuse and crime, a comprehensive approach to assist adult and juvenile offenders is critical. The National Assembly is an important step toward this objective." All 50 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. territories, 15 local municipalities, and more than 50 national associations will participate in the Assembly. Many of the participants are affiliated with successful initiatives, including Addiction Technology Transfer Centers, Treatment Alternatives to Street Crimes (TASC), the Breaking the Cycle initiative, High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area sites, and the jail-based treatment network. The conference is taking place at the Omni Shoreham Hotel at 2500 Calvert Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. Additional information on the sponsoring agencies is available from their Websites: http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/home.htmTo arrange interviews with agency officials or obtain an agenda for the Assembly:CONTACT: DOJ -- Doug Johnson 202/307-0703 ONDCP -- Nicole Harry 202/395-6618 HHS -- Mark Webber 301/443-8956 OJP and its component agencies' press releases are available for use without restriction. CONTACT: Doug Johnson of the U.S. Department of Justice, 202-307-0703; Nicole Harry of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, 202-395-6618; or Mark Webber of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 301-443-8956Web Site: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ CO: Office of Justice Programs ST: District of Columbia IN: SU: EXE SL -- DCM072 -- 9407 12/06/1999 18:00 EST http://www.prnewswire.com 
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Comment #3 posted by rainbow on December 07, 1999 at 06:22:17 PT
fear
It is really strange Dana that one has to fear the government that is supposed to be for by and of the people.I did ask the McCzar to let me know when he would be taking me out so that I could spare my children the horrible scene.I too am untrusting of the people in our gov't and it started with Nixon Reagan Bush and now Clinton.Damn these people are just evil. Maybe the antichrist is really here and sitting in Wash. D.C.CheersRainbow
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Comment #2 posted by Dana on December 07, 1999 at 01:57:31 PT:
bizzarre,,yet typical
first of all,,my compliments to the previous commentator. Is there any reason,,,,why it is not blatantly obvious that the drug war is a total SHAM?Our tax dollars,at the rate of $634.00 per second are being spent and unaccounted for! The entire basis for even having a "drug war",is a bunch of F*#%$ * CRAP!....I could go on and on and on,,,,If I wasnt so old,I;d try to get involved and make some waves,,but then I would probably die in some strange "accident",with no witnesses. This government is the scariest monster of all time. 
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Comment #1 posted by JB-American on December 06, 1999 at 18:45:56 PT
The Madness of Prohibition will Continue
 McCaffery: Propaganda specialist I would like to ask general McCaffery just exactly how much training in the area of propaganda production he has had considering that he has made it all the way through the ranks of the US Army. I guess that was the best move for Clinton seeing that the Republicans were trying to label him soft on drugs: hire an expert in deception and propaganda for his drug "czar".  It's time to make a doctor of medicine drug "czar". I hope that everyone knows that the controlled substances acts(state and federal) are decided by congress,the Justice Department and state legislatures, and NOT by the American Medical Association and the Surgeon General of the United States as they were before 1971. This is a key point in this issue: "Do we allow doctors and health officials to control the scheduling of drus are do we leave it lawyers,legislators, congressmen, and police?" This is not a trick question. If you have any doubts as to this fact, READ the ACT or read "Smoke and Mirrors", by Dan Baum. The control of drugs is a medical,not a criminal issue. The law itself must be fundamentally changed.
http://mapinc.org
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