Kelly, Tillis, Coons Introduce Legislation to Address Youth Drug Use
Today, Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Chris Coons (D-DE) introduced bipartisan legislation to fund public service announcement (PSA) campaigns and contests to help young Americans understand the dangers of drug use.
The Youth Substance Use Prevention and Awareness Act would expand the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program (COSSUP) for research-based PSAs launched by state and local governments to help youth in their local communities.
“As drug addiction continues to destroy the lives of young people and their families in red and blue states alike, we need to address the problem in ways that speak directly to teens,” said Senator Kelly. “Arizona has already taken the lead in promoting PSA campaigns against substance use, and this bill will help my state and other states reach more people about the dangers of drug use and save lives.”
“We must do everything we can to make young adults aware of the dangers of substance abuse,” said Senator Tillis. “I am proud to co-lead this bipartisan legislation with Senator Kelly to expand COSSUP so we can coordinate with states and local entities to conduct public service announcements and spread awareness.”
“Too many young Americans know firsthand the harms of opioid addiction and deserve every opportunity to be leaders in combatting this crisis in their communities,” said Senator Coons. “This bill will give them the resources and opportunity to use what they know to save lives.”
The Youth Substance Use Prevention and Awareness Act is supported by Arizona Attorney General Mayes, Partnership to End Addiction, Drug Policy Alliance, Addiction Policy Forum, Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA), the National Association for Children Impacted by Addiction (NACoA), the Brent Shapiro Foundation, the Alexander Neville Foundation, National Crime Prevention Council, MATFORCE, the Substance Awareness Coalition Leaders of Arizona (SACLAz), and Gang Free North Carolina.
See what Arizona stakeholders are saying about the Youth Substance Use Prevention and Awareness Act:
“Fentanyl is the leading cause of death for Americans between the ages of 18 and 45. Cartels are even targeting Arizona teenagers on social media, leading to overdoses in children as young as 14 years old. Our Fentanyl PSA contest has been one of the most successful ways my office has engaged the next generation of Arizonans in the fight against the fentanyl crisis, and we’ve made inroads toward making sure every young person in Arizona knows how to protect themselves and their friends from fentanyl,” said Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes. “Thank you, Senator Kelly, for putting this bill forward and creating new federally-funded opportunities for other local law enforcement and government offices to offer PSAs like the one we’ve seen such success with. We need every tool in our tool belt as we continue to fight the scourge of fentanyl in our communities.”
“Research consistently demonstrates that early use of addictive substances heightens the risk of addiction later in life, with the likelihood increasing the earlier use begins. Preventing and delaying substance use among young people is essential to ending our nation’s addiction crisis. The most effective prevention takes a comprehensive approach, addressing the diverse factors that influence youth substance use while meeting the unique needs of individual communities. Public awareness campaigns, guided by research and regularly evaluated to ensure effectiveness, play a vital role in this holistic and evidence-based approach. The Youth Substance Use Prevention and Awareness Act will help communities use federal funding to prevent youth substance use by including research-based public service awareness campaigns in their prevention strategies,” Linda Richter, PhD, Senior Vice President of Prevention Research and Analysis, Partnership to End Addiction.
“At the Alexander Neville Foundation, we’re dedicated to helping young people and their caregivers understand the serious dangers of substance misuse, especially fentanyl and social media harms. Our goal is to raise awareness and offer the support necessary for young individuals to make informed, healthy choices. The Youth Substance Use Prevention and Awareness Act is a perfect match for our mission, as it boosts public service announcement campaigns designed to prevent substance misuse among youth. This important legislation plays a key role in tackling the fentanyl crisis and substance misuse, ensuring that young people receive the right education at the right time. By supporting evidence-based prevention programs, we’re working toward a safer, healthier future, one where young people can thrive both online and offline, free from the dangers of substance use,” said the Alexander Neville Foundation.
“When NACoA was founded in 1983, schools had counselors and student assistance programs equipped to support children impacted by the disease of addiction — that is no longer the norm. Today, 1 in 5 children in the U.S. live in a household where a parent has a substance use disorder (American Academy of Pediatrics). The National Association for Children Impacted by Addiction (NACoA) supports this vital legislation, because locally driven, peer-centered education can break the intergenerational cycle of this chronic, progressive and fatal disease. Every dollar invested in prevention can save up to $18 in future costs (SAMSHA) — and it’s always easier to help a child than to heal a broken adult,” said President/CEO NACoA Denise Bertin-Epp RN, BScN, MSA.
“The Youth Substance Use Prevention and Awareness Act is a positive step towards stopping youth drug and alcohol use before it starts. Nine of 10 individuals who develop a drug addiction began using drugs as teenagers, our nation needs to make the protection of our children and their developing brains a top priority. The Youth Substance Use Prevention and Awareness Act will provide youth with the information necessary to help them make healthy choices. This legislation can save lives. The Substance Awareness Coalition Leaders of Arizona support this legislation,” said Merilee Fowler, Executive Director, MATFORCE, Community Counts.
Background:
The Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program (COSSUP) was developed as part of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) of 2016. COSSUP’s purpose is to provide financial and technical assistance to states, units of local government, and Indian tribal governments to develop, implement, or expand comprehensive efforts to identify, respond to, treat, and support those impacted by illicit opioids, stimulants and other drugs.
To read the bill text, click here.
