DeWine Recognized for Work to Keep Teens Off Drugs

DEWINE RECOGNIZED FOR WORK TO KEEP TEENS OFF DRUGS

Contact: Andrew Langworthy
Tuesday, September 19, 2006

U.S. Senator Mike DeWine (R-OH) today received the "Guardian Award" from the Partnership for a Drug-Free America for his work to protect children and families from substance abuse. "I am honored to receive this award from the Partnership and I thank them for their tremendous efforts on behalf of our children and families," said Senator DeWine. "When it comes to ensuring a bright future for our children, there are very few things we can do that are more important than protecting them from drugs. We need to get to our kids before the drug dealers do. We have to have education. We have to have treatment. We have to have domestic law enforcement, and we also have to have drug interdiction that goes to the source. We need to do all of these things every day. With the help of wonderful organizations like Partnership for a Drug-Free America, I will continue the fight to protect America's children from the scourge of illegal drugs."

Senator DeWine has a long history of working to keep kids off drugs. In 1998, with the White House's Office of National Drug Control Policy, Senator DeWine helped establish the Ohio High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) for northern Ohio. Participation in the HIDTA program provides additional law enforcement resources for use as part of a coordinated local, state, and federal effort to fight drug abuse in Ohio. In 2004, Senator DeWine worked to establish a second branch of the HIDTA program focused on southern Ohio. Senator DeWine was also instrumental in the reauthorization of the Safe and Drug-Free Schools program within President Bush's No Child Left Behind Act. The program is the federal government's primary initiative to prevent drug abuse and violence in and around our Nation's schools. Through this program, state and local education agencies are awarded grants to create programs to deter drug abuse and violence among elementary and secondary students. Senator DeWine also sponsored the Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking Act in July 2004 to prevent the spread of underage drinking. The Partnership for a Drug-Free America is a nonprofit coalition of communication, health, medical and educational professionals working to reduce illicit drug use and help people live healthy, drug-free lives.

http://dewine.senate.gov/