Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 88 Part 2.djvu/1215

 88 STAT. ]

PROCLAMATION 4328-OCT. 18, 1974

Proclamation 4328

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2531 October 18, 1974

Drug Abuse Prevention Week, 1974 By the President of the United States of

America

A Proclamation The drug trade, by destroying individual lives and dividing families and communities, strikes at the heart of our national well-being. America's response has not been passive. During the past half decade, we have given the highest priority to eliminating this threat to the very fabric of our society. Our enforcement programs, undertaken with the cooperation of 60 other nations, are aimed at stamping out the drug trade at all levels, from the growing process to street sales. We are also rendering special Federal assistance to local law enforcement agencies. As a result, drug arrests are up, major traffickers have been jailed, and supplies have been reduced. But too many Americans still are victimized by drug abuse. We must redouble our efforts to cut supplies and punish suppliers. And we must make a National commitment to rehabilitate former users. NOW, THEREFORE, I, GERALD R. FORD, President of the United States of America, do hereby designate the week of October 2 0 26, as Drug Abuse Prevention Week, 1974. An important focus of our effort should be on the community acceptance of former drug abusers. For without a way back into society, the former addict still is prey to the pressures and pointlessness that contributed to his abuse in the first place. Let us begin, this week, to search out the techniques and resources we will need to help former drug abusers find their place in productive society—techniques and resources that will complement the work presently being carried out at the 1,240 Federally funded treatment centers and service points in more than 350 communities across the Nation. I call upon officials at every level of government, upon educators, medical professionals, and communicators, upon the business community and the civic groups of our Nation, upon the churches and clergy, and upon all who bear the special trusts of community leadership, to

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