Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 88 Part 1.djvu/170

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PUBLIC LAW 93-282-MAY 14, 1974

[88 STAT.

PART A—SHORT TITLE; FINDINGS AND PURPOSE SHORT TITLE

Comprehensive SEC. 101. This title may be cited as the "Comprehensive Alcohol and°AriotoUsm Abusc and Alcoholism Prevention, Treatment, and Rehabilitation Act Prevention, Treat- Amendments of 1974". ment, and R e h a bilitation Act Amendments of 1974.

nole."^*^ ^^^^ 42 USC 4551 note.

F I N D I N G S A N D PURPOSE

S^*^- -'•^^- (^) "^^^ Comprehensive Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Prevention, Treatment, and Rehabilitation Act of 1970 is amended by adding after section 1 the following new section: "FINDINGS

42 USC 4541.

42 USC 4542.

A N D PURPOSE

"SEC. 2. (a) The Congress finds that— "(1) alcohol is one of the most dangerous drugs and the drug most frequently abused in the United States; "(2) of the Nation's estimated ninety-five million drinkers, at least nine million, or 7 per centum of the adult population, are alcohol abusers and alcoholics; "(3) problem drinking costs the national economy at least $15,000,000,000 annually m lost working time, medical and public assistance expenditures, and police and court costs; "(4) alcohol abuse is found with increasing frequency among persons who are multiple-drug abusers and among former heroin users who are being treated in methadone maintenance programs; " (5) alcohol abuse is being discovered among growing numbers of youth; and "(6) alcoholism is an illness requiring treatment and rehabilitation through the assistance of a broad range of community health and social services, and with the cooperation of law enforcement agencies. "(b) I t is the policy of the United States and the purpose of this Act to (1) approach alcohol abuse and alcoholism from a comprehensive community care standpoint, and (2) meet the problems of alcohol abuse and alcoholism not only through Federal assistance to the States but also through direct Federal assistance to community-based programs meeting the urgent needs of special populations and developing methods for diverting problem drinkers from criminal justice systems into prevention and treatment programs.". (b) The Congress declares that, in addition to the programs under the Comprehensive Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Prevention, Treatment, and Rehabilitation Act of 1970, programs under other Federal laws which provide Federal or federally assisted research, prevention, treatment, or rehabilitation in the fields of health and social services should be appropriately utilized to help eradicate alcohol abuse and alcoholism as a major problem.

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