National Addiction Recovery Month

NATIONAL ADDICTION RECOVERY MONTH -- (Extensions of Remarks - September 13, 2005)

SPEECH OF
HON. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN
OF MARYLAND
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2005

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, as we celebrate National Addiction Recovery Month this September, I would be honored to have Congress join me in celebrating those who commit their time and effort to addiction recovery.

Last year, over 19 million Americans used illicit drugs. Fifty-five million had engaged in binge drinking, and over 16 million are considered heavy drinkers. These numbers are more than just statistics. If you take the time to examine them, they are in fact quite staggering. Imagine if the entire populations of New York and Los Angeles combined were all illicit drug users. Imagine if the entire population of Florida were heavy drinkers. That's how prevalent the problem is. The impact is felt not only by individuals and their families, but by society as well. Addiction costs our society and economy billions of dollars each year, in health care costs, property damage, and lost productivity. It also costs lives, and causes immense amounts of grief and pain. Each one of those millions of Americans has a story, and we should ensure that each one of them has the chance to tell their story to an addiction counselor, in hopes that they will receive the necessary treatment and care. Addiction is a disease, as serious and as deadly as many others. Alcohol and drug addiction are very serious, and very destructive. No one is immune from addiction, as it afflicts people of all ages, all races, all classes, and all professions.

As with any serious disease, the treatment for addiction relies on great amounts of research and advances in health sciences. The National Institutes of Health is a leader in this regard, and many of its 27 institutes have committed funds to research on addiction, including research on how addiction takes over the brain, the body, and the central nervous system. Two institutes in particular at NIH focus only on this issue of critical importance: The National Institute on Drug Abuse, and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. For many decades, these two institutes have been making tremendous strides in the fight against addiction. Congress spends billions of dollars each year on addiction research, and these institutes have justified our faith and commitment to this issue.

Too often, problems in our society carry with them a certain stigma. Addiction is one such problem. Thousands, if not millions, of people do not seek treatment for addiction because of a misunderstanding of their condition, both on their behalf and on society's behalf. NIDA and NIAAA have both sought to understand this stigma, and bring it to an end. Led by Dr. Nora Volkow and Dr. T.K. Li, respectively, NIDA and NIAAA are constantly making progress to improve our understanding and treatment of addiction. Addiction is a disease, and must be attacked as such. Our fight against it must be aggressive and unyielding. Both NIDA and NIAAA fund scientists all over the country, who in turn will one day unlock the mysteries of addiction and its impact on individuals and society.

NIDA and NIAAA provide the ammunition for the troops on the front lines battling this disease. I am referring of course to the addiction counselors, who must daily encounter the difficult task of prevention, intervention, and treatment. These foot-soldiers in our war against addiction need all of the support we can give them. I believe, Mr. Speaker, that we can show our support for them through our strong support for NIDA, NIAAA, and the other NIH institutes committed to solving the enigma of addiction.

Mr. Speaker, I ask you and all of my colleagues to join me in recognizing the priceless contributions of NIDA, NIAAA, and addiction counselors, and giving them our gratitude. Congress has shown strong support for this issue in the past in several ways--through legislation, through funding for the National Institutes of Health and the CDC, and through displaying a constant awareness of the gravity of this issue. Yet we are far from victory, and must continue our steadfast fight against drug and alcohol addiction. We look forward to the day when addiction to drugs and alcohol are eradicated, and these wonderful professionals can take their final bow. Until then, their hard work should be recognized and, more importantly, honored and appreciated.

http://thomas.loc.gov