Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 102 Part 2.djvu/912

 102 STAT. 1916

PUBLIC LAW 100-455—SEPT. 29, 1988

Public Law 100-455 100th Congress Joint Resolution Sept. 29, 1988 [S.J. Res. 329]

To designate October 24 through October 30, 1988, as "Drug Free America Week".

Whereas illicit drug and alcohol abuse has reached epidemic proportions and is of major concern to all Americans; Whereas illegal drug and alcohol use is a major public health threat and is one of the largest causes of preventable disease, disability, and death in the United States today; Whereas drug and alcohol abuse cost American society nearly $100,000,000,000 a year in lost productivity; Whereas illegal drug use does not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, or socioeconomic status as evidenced by the following statistics: (1) twenty-three million Americans age twelve and over currently use illicit drugs, (2) a nationwide Weekly Reader survey revealed that of the sixty-eight thousand fourth graders polled, 34 per centum reported peer pressure to try wine coolers, 41 per centum to smoke, and 24 per centum to use crack or cocaine, (3) the fifteen-to-twenty-four-year-old age group is dying at a faster rate than any other age group because of accidents, homicides, and suicides, much of which is related to drug and alcohol abuse; Whereas the problem is not insurmountable. Americans have begun to lay the foundation; however, we must continue to build on the important strides we have made in our efforts to prevent illegal drug and alcohol use. The most recent national polls reveal that progress has been made— (1) since 1979, there has been a steady decline in the use of marijuana on a daily basis among high school seniors, and in 1987, marijuana use among this group was at its lowest level in eleven years, (2) in 1987 there was a significant drop in the use of cocaine, and the number of high school seniors associating great risk with trying cocaine once or twice rose from 34 per centum in 1986 to 48 per centum in 1987, and (3) illicit use of stimulants and sedatives continues to decline among high school seniors, college students, and young adults in general; Whereas the American people indicate that drug abuse is one of the most serious domestic problems facing this Nation according to public opinion polls and have begun to take steps to fight it; Whereas the National Federation of Parents for Drug-Free Youth has declared October 23 through October 30, 1988, as "National Red Ribbon Week"—a comprehensive public education and fundraising drive, involving thousands of parent groups across the country; Whereas other outstanding groups such as the American Council for Drug Education, the Just Say No Foundation, the National Par-

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