Narcotics research, rehabilitation, and treatment. Hearings, Ninety ...
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Narcotics research, rehabilitation, and treatment. Hearings, Ninety ...

Narcotics research, rehabilitation, and treatment. Hearings, Ninety ... Narcotics research, rehabilitation, and treatment. Hearings, Ninety ...

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cover unit of the narcotic division of the New York City police made7,266 buys of narcotics, and made 4,007 arrests in connection therewith.In all of these citywide arrests made in a year's time, a total of 4.97pounds of highly adulterated heroin was seized. The cash used by theNew York police to make these purchases totaled $91,197.50—that isover $1,100 an ounce for highly diluted heroin. Surely it cannot beargued that these arrests and seizures, at a tremendous cost of manpowerand actual cash outlay, are having a significant impact in stemmingthe tide of organized narcotic trafficking in the city of NewYork.It seems highly unlikely that the continued diligent efforts of dedicatednarcotics agents, on all levels, will result in a significant increasein the rate of heroin seizures. It seems clear that if the opium poppycontinues to be cultivated legally there will inevitably be illegal traffickingin the heroin derived from this poppy.Consequently, our committee is today examining the question ofwhether we really need the opium poppy. If we can supply the painkillingand cough-suppressing needs of our Nation by reliance upondomestically manufactured synthetic substitutes, then this Congressshould take the lead today in banning the importation of all crudeopium. It is to this end that we will devote a portion of this hearing.We will then hear from law enforcement experts and scientific researchersabout the possibility of policing such a worldwide ban. Wealso want to know whether our Federal law enforcement officialsbelieve that this bold step would be helpful to them, not only in stemmingthe illicit flow of heroin into the United States, but also as alever in bargaining with officials from opium-producing countries.We then plan to look at the state of development of narcotic blockageand antagonistic drugs. Our interest is not confined to methadone,which looks promising but is also fraught with problems. Our interestis also in assessing the potential of developing longer lasting blockagedrugs such as acetylmethadol, which is being used experimentallyby Dr. Jerome H. Jaffe, in Chicago. We also want to know whether theso-called heroin antagonists are, as Dr. Stanley Yolles (former Directorof the National Institute of Mental Health) commented, the mostpromising area in narcotics research. If this is true, our committeewants to know why more adidcts are not now being treated in rehabilitationcenters throughout the country with nonaddicting cyclazocineand naloxone. What are the results of experiments with antagonistdrugs? Do scientists really believe that these drugs offer a viablealternative to methadone maintenance and drug-free treatmentmodalities?Additionally, as a committee on crime, we must not only be concernedwith the humanitarian aspect of opiate addiction, but also the

urden that such addiction imposes upon a society threatened andravaged by crime directly rebated to tliis addiction. Is methadonemaintenance an efficacious method of reducing crime perpetrated byaddicts under treatment? Does methadone maintenance reduce theillegal activity of addicts and provide a vehicle to move these addictsback into our society ? Is methadone maintenance safe if properlyadministered in a comprehensive rehabilitation program ?Do the deaths recently attributed to methadone—we have had sixreported deaths in the last few weeks here in the District of Colimibia—dothe_ deaths recently attributed to methadone mean that wemust reconsider the present posture of methadone maintenance or arethese deaths a natural incident and to be expected with the rise ofmethadone treatment programs? These are just some of the questionswhich this committee wants answered during the course of thesehearings."VYe also want to know whether the guidelines recently promulgatedby the Food and Drug Administration will serve as a barrier againstwrongful, negligent, and unlawful practices by some physicians whohave dispensed methadone. We want to examine the critical questionof how can methadone, an admittedly dangerous synthetic drug, bestbe dispensed. "We want to know whether methadone maintenancecan truly be an effective therapeutic approach with the proper andcostly support services.Finally, this committee intends to survey and evaluate our presentFederal and State expenditures relating to opiate research. We wantto know if new drugs are on the horizon. Certainly the scientific geniusof this country should be implored and employed to help solve thisnational calamity.It might well be that at the conclusion of these 7 days we haveraised more questions than we have answered. However, we can nolonger afford to avoid the unpleasant evidence of the geometricgrowth in narcotic addiction. This tragedy, however, might well pushus into a needed national mobilization of our medical and scientificresources to destroy the awful heroin traffic and to deal humanelywith those who suffer from it. I know I sjDeak for all the members ofthis committee when I conclude by stating that this committee isready to make the sacrifice, financial and otherwise, which is necessaryto wipe out this national health epidemic.At this time, let us place in the record a copy of House Resolution115, introduced January 3, 1971, and approved March 9, 1971, whichcreated the Select Committee on Crime in the House of Representatives,described its purposes, set its goals, laid its jurisdictions, anddelineated its functions.(H. Res. 115 follows:)

cover unit of the narcotic division of the New York City police made7,266 buys of narcotics, <strong>and</strong> made 4,007 arrests in connection therewith.In all of these citywide arrests made in a year's time, a total of 4.97pounds of highly adulterated heroin was seized. The cash used by theNew York police to make these purchases totaled $91,197.50—that isover $1,100 an ounce for highly diluted heroin. Surely it cannot beargued that these arrests <strong>and</strong> seizures, at a tremendous cost of manpower<strong>and</strong> actual cash outlay, are having a significant impact in stemmingthe tide of organized narcotic trafficking in the city of NewYork.It seems highly unlikely that the continued diligent efforts of dedicatednarcotics agents, on all levels, will result in a significant increasein the rate of heroin seizures. It seems clear that if the opium poppycontinues to be cultivated legally there will inevitably be illegal traffickingin the heroin derived from this poppy.Consequently, our committee is today examining the question ofwhether we really need the opium poppy. If we can supply the painkilling<strong>and</strong> cough-suppressing needs of our Nation by reliance upondomestically manufactured synthetic substitutes, then this Congressshould take the lead today in banning the importation of all crudeopium. It is to this end that we will devote a portion of this hearing.We will then hear from law enforcement experts <strong>and</strong> scientific <strong>research</strong>ersabout the possibility of policing such a worldwide ban. Wealso want to know whether our Federal law enforcement officialsbelieve that this bold step would be helpful to them, not only in stemmingthe illicit flow of heroin into the United States, but also as alever in bargaining with officials from opium-producing countries.We then plan to look at the state of development of narcotic blockage<strong>and</strong> antagonistic drugs. Our interest is not confined to methadone,which looks promising but is also fraught with problems. Our interestis also in assessing the potential of developing longer lasting blockagedrugs such as acetylmethadol, which is being used experimentallyby Dr. Jerome H. Jaffe, in Chicago. We also want to know whether theso-called heroin antagonists are, as Dr. Stanley Yolles (former Directorof the National Institute of Mental Health) commented, the mostpromising area in narcotics <strong>research</strong>. If this is true, our committeewants to know why more adidcts are not now being treated in <strong>rehabilitation</strong>centers throughout the country with nonaddicting cyclazocine<strong>and</strong> naloxone. What are the results of experiments with antagonistdrugs? Do scientists really believe that these drugs offer a viablealternative to methadone maintenance <strong>and</strong> drug-free <strong>treatment</strong>modalities?Additionally, as a committee on crime, we must not only be concernedwith the humanitarian aspect of opiate addiction, but also the

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