Pubdate: Fri, 18 Jul 2008
Source: New York Times (NY)
Page: 19, Section A
Copyright: 2008 The New York Times Company
Contact:  http://www.nytimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/298

MORE KIDS DYING

Despite a decline in overall drug use, the rate at which young 
Americans between the ages of 15 and 24 have been dying from drug 
overdoses has jumped dramatically -- more than doubling between 1999 
and 2005. In the same period, according to the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention, "accidental poisoning deaths" in this age 
group, mostly drug overdoses, have jumped from 849 to 2,355.

Instead of rushing to save these young people, state governments are 
actually shortchanging them. Only a tiny fraction of the money that 
Washington sends to the states under the Substance Abuse and 
Prevention and Treatment Block Grant program is aimed at young drug 
abusers. This cannot go on.

Prescription painkillers like oxycodone and Vicodin are the most 
common drugs involved in fatal overdoses by young people. The problem 
need not be measured only in fatalities.

Other, more familiar kinds of drug abuse have increased as well: the 
percentage of high school seniors who smoke marijuana on a daily 
basis tripled from nearly 2 percent to 6 percent in the 1990s. The 
number drifted down to 5.1 percent last year, but that is still 
alarmingly high, and marijuana is more potent than ever.

Even so, fewer than 1 in 10 American adolescents who need drug 
treatment get it, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health 
Services Administration. This threatens their health and well being. 
Drug abuse is also much more difficult and expensive to solve if it 
is not addressed early.

Every year, Congress dispenses a block grant to the states for drug 
treatment and prevention -- $1.75 billion in 2007. Yet it attaches 
too few strings. States are not required to spend the money on 
addiction treatments of proven effectiveness, leading to wasteful 
experimentation. And while there are set-asides for groups like 
pregnant women, there is no requirement that any of the money be 
spent on adolescents. The states are left to decide whether to treat 
the young, and how.

In 2006, less than 6 percent of the grant -- $104.8 million -- was 
spent on people below the age of 25. And adolescents 17 and below 
nationwide, arguably the most vulnerable group, received less than 
one-third of that.

That's obviously not enough. If there is any doubt, just take another 
look at the rising numbers of kids dying from drug overdoses. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake