COMMITTEE ON THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA NINETY-NINTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION ON DRUG SALES AND USE AMONG STUDENTS IN HIGH SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA SEPTEMBER 23, 1986 SERIAL NO. 99-23 Printed for the use of the Committee on the District of Columbia 65-617 O U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON: 1987 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, Congressional Sales Office Downs, Thomas M., city administrator, deputy mayor for operations, D.C. Clarke, David A.. Downs, Thomas M.. Fisher, Harold, Jr., president, Washington Teachers Union. Prepared statement with attachments..... McKenzie, Floretta D., superintendent, D.C. public schools and R. David Hall, Hall, R. David McKenzie, Floretta D Prepared statement with attachments.... Rangel, Hon. Charles B., a Representative in Congress from the State of New York and chairman of the Select Committee on Narcotics Abuse and Con- Turner, Maurice T., Jr., D.C. Metropolitan Police Department; Lonnie Mitch- ell, administrator, D.C. Alcohol and Drug Abuse Administration, D.C. MATERIAL SUBMITTED FOR THE RECORD STAFF SUMMARY OF FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS On Tuesday, September 23, 1986, the Subcommittee on Judiciary and Education of the Committee on the District of Columbia held an oversight hearing on drug use and its prevention in high schools in the District of Columbia. Representatives from the District's law enforcement agencies, District of Columbia public schools as well as the chairman of the House Select Committee on Narcotics Abuse and Control, testified as to the depth and breadth of drug use and abuse on college campuses. In response to questioning, the witnesses stated they felt they were losing the battle against drug abuse on our local and national campuses. Also during the question and answer period, it was pointed out that there was a vast disparity between what the Congress sought for education and prevention and what was sought by the White House. The House of Representatives requested $350 million for fiscal years 1987, 1988, 1989 or $70 million per State, while the White House was seeking $3 million or $60,000 per State. The focus of the hearing was on a real and vital issue in the minds of the American people, that is, the sale, use, and abuse of controlled substances. At the same time a report issued by the National Institute of Mental Health of a 10-year study entitled, "Drug Abuse Among American High School Students, College Students, Other Young Adults, and National Trends Through 1985," clearly indicated that young America is moving away from the use and abuse of controlled substances and toward an increase in the use and abuse of alcohol. The 10-year study conducted for the National Institute for Mental Health by the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research concluded that the drug of choice for the majority of those surveyed was alcohol, which is on the rise, according to the researchers. (V) |