Pubdate: Thu, 28 Apr 2005 Source: Roslindale-West Roxbury Transcript (MA) Contact: http://www2.townonline.com/roslindale/ Address: 254 Second Avenue, Needham, MA 02494 Copyright: 2005 Community Newspaper Company Copyright: 2005 Community Newspaper Company FLAHERTY AND TURNER FIGHTING LOCAL SUBSTANCE ABUSE City Council President Michael F. Flaherty and Councilor Chuck Turner recently joined forces to fight substance abuse by offering a proposal that would give half of the money seized from drug dealers to the Boston Public Health Commission for drug treatment. "Treatment is taking a back seat to the war on drugs," said Flaherty. "We have some of the best colleges and hospitals in the world, but when it comes to detoxing our youth, we drop the ball." Currently, state law dictates that the money be split between the Suffolk district attorney's office and the Boston Police Department. Under the legislation, the police share would go to the Public Health Commission. While Flaherty understands the police are using the money for a good purpose, he said they benefit from thousands in grant money while the treatment world "doesn't get nearly as much - and they need it now." In their legislation, the councilors cited a 2003 national survey that found that Boston had the highest rate of reported illegal-substance use among major metropolitan areas. According to the Public Health Commission, Boston's rate of heroin-related visits to emergency rooms is three times greater than the national average. Boston also has the nation's highest rate of emergency department visits for OxyCodone-related overdoses. "Parents tell me all the time how their children started out taking the occasional OxyContin pill and quickly ended up heroin addicts," said Flaherty. "Make no doubt about it, this is a citywide problem that does not discriminate between color, neighborhood, upbringing or social status - it affects everyone and we are losing generations of kids to it." "I am hoping we can pass this piece of legislation and get the resources needed to throw more lifelines to kids seeking treatment. If we focus on the front end with treatment and recovery, we'll save a tremendous amount over the long haul. Like the old adage says, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," Flaherty said. Flaherty's and Turner's proposal was referred to the Committee on Government Operations where it currently awaits a hearing date.