Burchett/5SenatorKarkiS.W.

_____

ABILL
Tocreateeducationprogramsthatensuretheyouthunderstandthenegativeimpactsofdrugabuse.

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BeitenactedbytheSenateandHouseofRepresentativesoftheUnitedStatesofAmericainCongress
assembled,

SECTION1.SHORTTITLE

ThisactmaybecitedastheDrugAbuseEnlightenmentActof2015.

SECTION2.FINDINGS

Congressherebyfindsanddeclaresthat,
1)Anestimatedof20millionAmericansstartingwiththeageof12usedanillegaldruginthepast30
days.
2)Childrenaremorepronetobeintroducedtootherharddrugswhilepurchasingcannabisonblack
markets.
3)
Therearedaily7,000peopleadmittedtotheemergencyroomforabusingprescribedmedicationsand
usingitinawayotherthandirected.
4)UnitedStatesistheleadingnationwithcasesofillicitdrugissues.
5)
OverthecounterdrugsandprescribeddrugsareresponsibleforfarmoreoverdosedeathsintheUnited
StatesthanillicitdrugssuchasCocaine,Heroin,methamphetamine,andamphetaminescombined.
6)

Drugscontainchemicalsthattapintothebrainscommunicationsystemanddisruptthewaynervecells
normallysend,receive,andprocessinformation.
7)

Insocietyestimatedcostsofdrugabusecanexceed$190billionwhichincludeshealthcarecosts,legal
costs,andlostproductivity.
8)

Accordingtothe2010MTF,prescriptionandOTCdrugsareamongthemostcommonlyabuseddrugs
by12thgraders,afteralcohol,marijuana,andtobacco.
9)Studentswhoarenotcurrentmarijuanausersaremorethantwiceaslikelytoreportanaveragegradeof
Athanthosewhoarecurrentusersofmarijuana(30.5%vs.12.5%).
10)Chronicuseofsomedrugsofabusecancauselonglastingchangesinthebrain,whichmayleadto
paranoia,depression,aggression,andhallucinations.
11)Full-timeworkerswhowerecurrentdrugusersalsowereabouttwiceaslikelyasnon-userstoskipone
ormoredaysofworkinthepastmonth(16.3%vs.8.2%).

SECTION3.STATUTORYLANGUAGE
A)TheDrugUseEnlightenmentActof2015necessitatesallschoolstorequiremandatorycoursesto
educatestudentsintheimpactsofdruguse.Priortograduatingfromhighschool,studentsshallhave
completedcoursesinmiddleschoolandhighschool.Thecoursewouldtakeplaceonceeveryotherweek
duringaspecificclass.
B)TheFederalDrugAdministration(FDA)alongwiththefederalandstateDepartmentofEducationshall
enforceandupholdthisactbyimplementingatenpercenttaxincreaseonalltobaccoandalcoholproducts
whichwillgototheprogram.Othermoneyfortheprogramwillcomefrommoneythegovernmentgives
toschoolsbyraisingthatanextrabyfivepercent.Fiftypercentofthefundingshallbespentonimproving
drugeducationprogramstheotherfiftypercentshallbespentonworkersintheprogram.
C)Failuretocomplywiththislawbytheschoolshallbenotedbutnoconsequences.Anystudentwhodoes
notcompleteallthecoursesmusttakethemupongraduationonSaturdays.ThisactshallbeEnactedon
November1,2016.Theactwillbereviewedbycongressafterthefirstfiveyearsafterpassedtorevise.

Theavailabilityofdrugsforteensisaconcerningissueimplementingthedrugeducationprogramwillprovideone
withtheproperknowledgetodeclinedrugs.Implementingmandatorydrugeducationprogramsinschoolisessentialbecauseitll
stopaddictioninchildrenbeforeitbegins,decreasecrime,anddecreasehealthrisksandcosts.
Anindividualwhoisexposedtodrugswithouttheproperknowledgeabouttheharmsofthesubstancesaremorelikely
tobecomedependentondrugs.Thisprogramgivesoneproperknowledgeandtoolsthatgivesthemtheabilitytodeclinedrugs
whenoffered.Deprivedofknowledgeondrugs,anindividualmaynotbeconsciousoftheharmsfromthesubstance.Chronic
useofsomedrugsofabusecancauselonglastingchangesinthebrain,whichmayleadtoparanoia,depression,aggression,and
hallucinations.Theeducationprogramsensurethatthestudentsareawareofallthenegativeandpositiveeffectsofthe
substances.Onemightthinkitissociallyacceptableforonetoutilizethesedrugsbutarentawareofthelongtermand
shorttermhealtheffects.Consequently,thebyproductsofthesesubstancesimpactonesdailylifeandtheirbehaviourcausing
complicationswiththeirlovedones.Drugusehasbeenclassifiedasamajorproblemforkidsasearlyasfourthgradebythe
studentsthemselves.Manykidsmayhavebeenexposedtofamilymembersthatareaddictedorconstantlyutilizedrugs.The
familymembersortherolemodelstheylookuptolacktheknowledgeontheharmfulsubstancestheyutilize.Drugscontain
chemicalsthattapintothebrainscommunicationsystemanddisruptthewaynervecellsnormallysend,receive,andprocess
information.Easyaccessibilityofillicitdrugstotheyouthisdetrimentaltosociety.Useofsuchdrugscanimpactthewaya
childdevelopsduetomanyhealthrisksitcauses.Prematureuseofsuchdrugsimpactthebodyandresultinunwantedchanges
thatonehastocopewithfortherestoftheirlife.Thisissignificantbecauseduetopoorchoicesonemadewhileyoungitcan
impactthemthroughouttheirentirelife.Studentswhoarenotcurrentmarijuanausersaremorethantwiceaslikelytoreportan
averagegradeofAthanthosewhoarecurrentusersofmarijuana(30.5%vs.12.5%).Theuseofillicitdrugsresultsinan
individualsproductivitytoplummet.Amongmanyothernegativeeffectsofdrugs,useofdrugscanreflecthowanindividual
performsacademicallyandbehavesinsociety.However,educatingkidsduringtheirpreliminarystagesontheharmsofdrugs
producessignificantlyhigherchancesofturningdownthesesubstanceseliminatesunwantedbehaviourduetoimpactofdrugs
thatturnintocrimes.
Utilizingandtraffickingillicitdrugsrelatetocrimeduetotheeffectsithasononesbehaviourandtheviolenceit
generates.Theimpactofadrugcanbesosignificantthatitcausesunwantedviolentbehaviourwhichresultintocrimes.Itis
estimatedthatdrugsandalcoholareafactorinatleast80percentofdomesticviolenceincidents.Thedrugsgenerate
pharmacologicaleffectontheuserswhichcontributetotheviolentactsthatarecarriedout.Theseviolentactsandotheroddacts
areabyproductofthedrugsthisusuallyoccursoncetheuserisaddictedandutilizesthedrugregularly.Ifonehadbeen
educatedonallofthepossiblesideeffectstherewouldbeamuchhigherchanceforonetodeclineutilizingthedrug.Thus,this
avoidsthepossiblesideeffectsofthedrugsuchasviolentactsandultimatelydecreasingthecrimerate.In2004,17%ofstate
prisonersand18%offederalinmatessaidtheycommittedtheircurrentoffensetoobtainmoneyfordrugs.Once,addictedit
becomesextremelydifficulttoprogressthroughoutthedaywithoutbeingintoxicated.Manyoftheseindividualsarenot
financiallystableandarewillingtodoanythinginorderfundtheirdrugs.Manyarecaughtintheactoftheft,robbery,and
handlingstolengoodsinordertofundforthedrugs.Nearly40percentofStateinmatesconvictedofrobbery,burglary,ormotor
vehicletheftreportedbeingundertheinfluenceofdrugsatthetimeoftheiroffense.Thesubstancesgeneratesbehavioursthat
arenotintentionalbytheuser.Suchhighnumberofindividualswithcriminalrecordsaredrugusersaswell.Duringanearly
stageofanindividualslifeifeducatedabouttheimpactsofillicitsubstancesmanyunnecessarycriminalactscanbeeliminated
fromsociety.Thisprovesthenecessityofthedrugeducationprogramsbecauseithelpsdecreasecrime,inadditionto
maintaininghealthandsavingmoneyonmedicalcosts.
Theeffectsofdrugshasbeenproventodetrimentaltooneshealth.Excessiveuseofthesubstancecausesmany
longtermandshorttermcomplicationshealthwise.Withoutproperknowledgeandinfluencestheuseofsuchsubstancescan
provetobefatal,untilithasbecometoolate.Over60%ofemergencyroomadmissionsareeitherdirectlyorindirectlyrelated
todrugoralcoholuse.Theimpactofdrugsinanindividual'slifecanbeoverwhelming.Theconstantuseandabuseof
substancesresultsinvariousvisitstotheemergencyroomnotnecessarilyforpersonalissues.Duetothepharmacologicaleffects
ofthedrugs,itmayhavecausedanindividualtoactaggressiveinjuringalovedone.Theconstantvisitstotheemergencyroom
areextremelycostlyandcanresultinamajorsetbackfinancially.Insocietyestimatedcostsofdrugabusecanexceed$190
billionwhichincludeshealthcarecosts,legalcosts,andlostproductivity.Thecountlesshoursspentatthehospitalandtaking
dayoffregularlyfromworkprovestobeextremelycostly.Theabuseofsubstancesimpactsthebraininsuchaway,itaffectsthe
dailylifeofanindividualsignificantly.Duringthesesituations,wherenolongeremployedbutaddictedtothesubstancesone
feelstheneedtoengageinillegalactivitiesinordertogeneratemoneyfortheirsupplyofsubstances.Full-timeworkerswho
werecurrentdrugusersalsowereabouttwiceaslikelyasnon-userstoskiponeormoredaysofworkinthepastmonth(16.3%
vs.8.2%).Illicitsubstanceshasagreatimpactontheviewsofcolleaguesandrestofthesociety.Usersbecomeexposedfrom
theirbehavioursandpoorchoicesonemakes.Illicitsubstancediminishesonesproductivitywhichimpactsthedailylifeand
futureoftheuser.Nolongerabletogenerateproductivitybecominghelplessduetothesideeffectsofthedrugtheuser
ultimatelylosesitsjob.Theconstantuseofdrugscancausemanyhealthconflictsaswellassetbacksfinancially,theeducation
programshavethepotentialtoeliminatemajorityoftheseissuesyetsomemightstilldisagree.EnactingTheDrugAbuse
EnlightenmentActof2015preventsdrugabusefromtheyouthbeforeitbegins,discontinuescrimescausedfromthe
pathologicaleffectsofthesubstances,andreduceshealthrisksandcostssignificantly.TheDrugAbuseEnlightenmentActhasa
greatpotentialinreducingcrimeratesdramaticallyaswellaseducatingtheyouthondealingwithpeerpressureandavoid
makingremorsefuldecisions.Thebillisessentialbecausedrugeducationisamajorpartofachildslifeitallowsachildtogrow
upsafeandresponsible.IadvisethepublictovoteyesonenactingTheDrugAbuseEnlightenmentActof2015.