#15 Addiction and Substance Abuse 2005–2006

Meredith Bellson 16 posts Aug 17, 2007 11:46 AM

# 15. Addiction and Substance Abuse 2005 – 2006 NOTE: POST A MESSAGE TO MAKE SUGGESTIONS! WHEREAS, addiction and substance abuse is a major public health problem that affects millions of people as evidenced by the 2003 National Survey on Drug Use & Health Results: • In the U.S. in 2003 an estimated 21.6 million persons aged 12 or older were classified with substance dependence or abuse (9.1 percent of the total population). Of these, 3.1 million were classified with dependence on or abuse of both alcohol and illicit drugs, 3.8 million were dependent on or abused illicit drugs but not alcohol, and 14.8 million were dependent on or abused alcohol but not illicit drugs. • In 2002 and 2003, 4.3 percent of pregnant women aged 15 to 44 used illicit drugs during the past month; • Among pregnant women aged 15 to 44, 9.8 percent reported drinking alcohol during the past month and 4.1 percent reported binge alcohol use; • In 2002, 54.9 percent of U.S adults (18 years and older) reported drinking at least one drink in the past month. The prevalence of past-month alcohol consumption was higher for men (62.4 percent) than for women (47.9 percent) (SAMSHA, NSDUH, 2002); and WHEREAS, substance abuse is a major public safety problem as evidenced by: • SAMHSA's National Survey on Drug Use and Health in 2002 and 2003 reported that about 94 percent of persons aged 21 or older were classified as drivers, and among adult drivers aged 21 or older, 71 percent reported using alcohol during the 12 months prior to survey; 12.6 percent reported having used an illicit drug during the prior year; and WHEREAS, thirty-three percent of all murder or manslaughter incidents were related to drug and alcohol use; and in 2002, 68 percent of all jail inmates reported symptoms in the year before their admission to jail that met substance dependence or abuse criteria (2002, Bureau of Justice Statistics); and WHEREAS, substance abuse is a serious barrier to individuals and families in achieving self-sufficiency; and WHEREAS, addiction is a chronic, life-threatening condition rooted in genetic predisposition, social circumstances, and personal behavior; and WHEREAS, nationally, some 1.9 million teenagers, one out of every 12, have experimented with methamphetamine; and WHEREAS, Tennessee ranked third in the nation in number of methlabs discovered by law enforcement agencies, which translates as one of the newest addiction and substance abuse problems that rank as both a public health and public safety threat. NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that TCSW support and encourage the availability of treatment for addiction and substance abuse for citizens of Tennessee regardless of age, gender, domicile, disability, or ability to pay for services. Note: See TCSW’s full Resolution on Methamphetamine.

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