Posted on July 21 at 9:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)

To learn more about what addicts really need watch SACC TV-16 Tuesday nights at 8PM INSIDE ADDICTION!

On Should drug tests be required of any applicant or recipient of public assistance?

Posted on July 19 at 10:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Untreated substance abuse and addiction add significant costs to families and communities, including those related to violence and property crimes, prison expenses, court and criminal costs, emergency room visits, healthcare utilization, child abuse and neglect, lost child support, foster care and welfare costs, reduced productivity, and unemployment.The cost to society of illicit drug abuse alone is $181 billion annually. When combined with alcohol and tobacco costs, they exceed $500 billion including healthcare, criminal justice, and lost productivity. Successful drug abuse treatment can help reduce these costs in addition to crime, and the spread of HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, and other infectious diseases. It is estimated that for every dollar spent on addiction treatment programs, there is a $4 to $7 reduction in the cost of drug-related crimes. With some outpatient programs, total savings can exceed costs by a ratio of 12:1.

On Should drug tests be required of any applicant or recipient of public assistance?

Posted on July 19 at 7:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Fairy tale is right. A fairy tale if you believe you won't be "footing the bill" when they get arrested. Their housing, food, shelter, and medical if the disease is not dealt with! Wake up people open your eyes to addiction! Taking advantage of public assistance is a symptom, and side effect, just like the crime, violence, and guns in our streets. If nothing changes, nothing will change!

On Should drug tests be required of any applicant or recipient of public assistance?

Posted on July 17 at 10:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)

When the results come back positive, what's the next step? Do we help those people get treatment or send them on their way pretending the real issue of addiction will go away with them? Forgeting, until that issue is addressed taxpayers will still be "footing the bill" when they get arrested. Just in a different setting instead of social services and food stamps we'll pay for their incarceration, their meals, housing, and medical care. The underlying issue is addiction we MUST address that!

On Should drug tests be required of any applicant or recipient of public assistance?

Posted on July 16 at 8:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)

If people see drug dealing in the park they should call the police. It seems as though it is common knowledge this is taking place. The community needs to cooperate with law enforcement. Drug dealing is the "norm" because it has become acceptable to the community, they have not done their part. The community cannot control the actions of others but can control their reactions to other's behavior, be it dealing drugs, violence, crime, etc. People need to take back their park not just for one day! People need to be back in that park today, tomorrow,Friday...how many drug dealers were selling in the park during WOW JAM probibly not many if any definately fewer than the day before. You can't expect the problem to go away if you keep looking the other way! Get involved!

On Event brings out Hamilton Hill crowd

Posted on July 15 at 10:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)

You may not buy it but the AMA (American Medical Association)does. Perhaps you could apply to become a member of the AMA. All I can say is God bless you that this disease hasn't affected you or one of your family members, friends, or loved ones. Maybe if it did you would understand.

On None

Posted on July 15 at 8:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Kudos to Montgomery County for acknowledging they have a drug problem. Now how to deal with it? There are over 23 million americans addicted to drugs. Last year 1.7 million recieved treatment. Over 300,000 people were admitted for substance abuse in NY last year, that's 17% of the entire country's admitted addicts in 2007! It's time to treat addiction for what it is- a medical problem not a criminal one. Being on social services is a side effect of the addiction, crime, violence, all just a symptom of the disease. As long as we continue to focus on the side effects and not the disease we will continue getting the results we have, overcrowded jails and prisons, and a high rearrest, recidivism rate. It's like handing a cancer patient a wig and not continuing chemo. then wondering why they don't get better! Do people not realize taking away social services is not going to prevent them from "footing the bill" who's going to pay for them being locked up when they get arrested as oposed to treated? The same tax payers who are paying for those social services. We must focus on addicts treatment! But for the grace of God there go I. Addiction does not discriminate, rich, poor, men,women,black,white, Montgomery to Westchester County it crosses all boundaries. Addiction is a family disease and yes it is passed down through generations but open your eyes people the definition of insanity is repeating the same behavior over and over yet expecting different results, it doesn't work that way! I've been there, done that, and know what it's like to have an addiction. I also know what it takes to stop, criminalizing addiction is not the answer. The United States has more prisoners than any other country in the world 2.5 million and rising due to the number of drug violations and people with substance abuse problems. The answer is education, raising awareness, being proactive not reactive.

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