Pubdate: Tue, 17 May 2005
Source: Daily News Tribune (Waltham, MA)
Copyright: 2005 The Daily News Tribune
Contact:  http://www.dailynewstribune.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3562
Author: Jon Brodkin

ROMNEY UNVEILS PLAN TO ATTACK DRUG PROBLEMS

Saying Massachusetts has one of the worst substance abuse problems in the 
nation, the Romney administration yesterday released a plan to curb drug 
and alcohol use among kids and adults.

Drug and alcohol use rates in the Bay State are in the top 5 percent in the 
country, and in recent years there have been dramatic increases in heroin 
and OxyContin use, the administration said.

Yet the state's prevention and treatment programs do not rely entirely on 
scientifically proven methods, and there is little or no coordination among 
the 13 state agencies that serve drug abusers, officials said.

The administration said it would help high schools implement drug testing 
programs, promote early intervention in elementary and middle schools and 
work with health boards to monitor alcohol and tobacco sales to minors. 
Kids receiving treatment for substance abuse begin using drugs at an 
average age of 12.9, the administration said.

The plan also calls for expanding services in the criminal justice system, 
because more than 80 percent of people accused of crimes abuse drugs, the 
administration said.

Drug abuse is common in MetroWest, experts say.

"In this community, we're seeing the same thing they're seeing in the inner 
city," said Mary Mullany, director of behavioral medicine at MetroWest 
Medical Center.

The Romney plan calls for an extra $9.1 million in substance abuse 
spending, an amount Massachusetts must spend to access $14.5 million in 
matching federal funds, the administration said.

But more money is needed, said Rep. Deborah Blumer, D-Framingham, noting 
the Framingham Detox Center was shut down two years ago because the state 
eliminated its budget. "From my perspective, it's not enough money to match 
the needs out there," Blumer said.

The plan was greeted with skepticism by Martin Cohen, president of the 
MetroWest Community Health Care Foundation, who criticized Gov. Mitt Romney 
for cutting funding to substance abuse programs.

"This has been a problem that has been ignored by the administration up 
until now. I sort of wonder why now, and why not start with returning to 
the level we were at before thinking about starting new initiatives?" Cohen 
said.

Cohen doubted many schools would perform drug tests on students, as the 
plan suggests.

"I think schools have enough on their plate without being in the 
mandatory-testing business," he said.

But some lawmakers credited the Romney administration for taking a 
comprehensive look at the state's drug problem.

"We (usually) compartmentalize the issue of substance abuse into certain 
drugs, certain people, certain crimes, but we very rarely take a 
comprehensive look at how we can address it at a number of layers and save 
lives," said Rep. Peter Koutoujian, D-Waltham, co-chairman of the Joint 
Committee on Public Health.

Rep. Karyn Polito, R-Shrewsbury, a member of the Mental Health and 
Substance Abuse Committee, said drug abuse among criminals must be 
addressed to prevent people from making repeat trips to prison.

"We need to do better with follow-up," Polito said. "That's a critical area 
because it's cyclical and we're not helping people break out of that 
cycle," she said.

The Romney plan also calls for "sobriety high schools" in the Boston and 
Springfield areas for recovering addicts, real-time tracking of heroin 
overdoses, and legislation to crack down on methamphetamine manufacturing 
and distribution.

According to a recent state survey, nearly half of Massachusetts adults 
have used an illegal drug during their lives, while 6 percent had done so 
in the previous month.

Nearly one in five adults reported binge drinking in the previous month, 
while 8 percent of state residents reported heavy drinking.
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