Reps. Rick Jones, Dean, Lemmons, Polidori, Kathleen Law, Clack, Hammon, Hammel, Shaffer, Pearce, Hansen, Marleau, Vagnozzi, Mayes, Sak, Donigan, Valentine, Spade, Proos, Cushingberry, Hune, Robert Jones, Meisner, Meadows, Ball, Pastor, Steil, Hopgood, Gonzales, Accavitti, Bieda, Tobocman, Miller, Constan, Byrnes, Leland, Alma Smith and Condino offered the following resolution:

House Resolution No. 171.

A resolution to commemorate September 2007 as National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month in the state of Michigan.

Whereas, The dependence on and abuse of alcohol and other drugs affects millions of people every year without regard to social, economic, or ethnic background and results in enormous financial and human costs including absenteeism, impaired work productivity, property damage, incarceration, accidents, medical expenses, dependence on public assistance, child neglect, bodily injury, destruction of family ties, and loss of life; and

Whereas, Based on information from the 2005 National Survey on Drug Use and Health  an estimated 22.2 million persons in the United States (9.1 percent of the population aged 12 or older) were classified with substance dependence or abuse in the past year; and

Whereas, Every day, men, women, and adolescents in the state of Michigan seek to experience the many benefits of recovery and to reestablish their place in the community by entering treatment for substance abuse.  Meanwhile, their families seek hope and recovery in support programs and counseling; and

Whereas, Effective treatment and support for the person, families, and children affected  by substance abuse and dependence can help our young people succeed in school, provide children with capable and caring parents, reduce the incidence of drug-related crime, and help people get their lives back through restored health and productivity, thereby, saving both lives and dollars; and

Whereas, There is a need to erode social stigmas about addiction and educate the public, community organizations, public officials, and civic leaders about the impact of alcohol and other drugs on our community, the value of treatment, and the hope of recovery; and

Whereas, To help achieve this goal, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, and the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy invite all persons to participate in National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month each September; and

Whereas, The National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month is a national initiative and annual observance that highlights the societal benefits of substance abuse treatment, celebrates people in recovery, recognizes those in the treatment field who dedicate their lives to helping people recover from addiction, and promotes the message that recovery from substance abuse is possible; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives, That the members of this legislative body commemorate September 2007 as National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month in the state of Michigan.