Pubdate: Wed, 21 Jun 2006 Source: Asbury Park Press (NJ) Copyright: 2006 Asbury Park Press Contact: http://www.app.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/26 Author: John L. Hulick Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment) TOPIC OF THE DAY - BATTLING ADDICTION Increase Funds For Treatment The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence-New Jersey fully supports Parent to Parent's "Just A Nickel a Gallon" campaign to dedicate $10 million from Gov. Corzine's expected $15 million increase in alcohol tax revenue to the Alcohol Education Rehabilitation and Enforcement Fund. This fund disburses $11 million annually to counties for addiction prevention and treatment and drunken driving enforcement efforts. This amount has not changed since 1992. Addiction treatment expansion is critically needed in New Jersey. One in two adults and two in three adolescents who seek treatment here are unable to access it due to limited capacity. A poll by Monmouth University Polling Institute found 64 percent of New Jersey's residents support the governor's proposal to increase the alcohol tax. This number increases to 72 percent if the new revenue is used to fund alcohol or drug treatment, prevention and drunken driving enforcement programs. Consumers of beer, wine and liquor would experience a very slight increase as a result of Corzine's proposal, paying 11 cents more per case of beer and pennies more per liter of wine or liquor. This amounts to $5.85 more per year for the beer drinker who consumes a case of beer per week and $5.20 more per year for individuals who consume a gallon of wine or liquor per week. The impact would be anything but slight on the 3,800 individuals and their families who would be able to access treatment should Parent to Parent's proposal be adopted by the Legislature. NCADD-New Jersey implores legislators to hear the pleas of the mothers from Parent to Parent and increase the appropriation to the AEREF by $10 million. This way, hundreds more families who seek help to access addiction treatment for their children would receive the care they desperately need. John L. Hulick Director Public Affairs And Policy National Council On Alcoholism And Drug Dependence New Jersey Hamilton - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman