Narcotics research, rehabilitation, and treatment. Hearings, Ninety ...
Narcotics research, rehabilitation, and treatment. Hearings, Ninety ... Narcotics research, rehabilitation, and treatment. Hearings, Ninety ...
342have no desire to preempt the authority of the States in this matter,it seems to me that, in many ways, a substantial portion of the burdenof drug abuse problems must, by reason of their magnitude and scope,fall upon the Federal Government. Let me clarify that statement. I amnot blaming the Federal Government for causing heroin addiction. Iam not accusing Federal agents for laxity in the performance of theirduties. But we must face facts. Heroin is not indigenous to this country.It is grown and processed overseas, and then smuggled into theUnited States. Notwithstanding the valiant and dedicated work ofour customs and narcotics agents, and we commend both in the highestway, they concede that it is impossible to effectively halt the smugglingof heroin into this country. Narcotics and custom officials have toldour committee that less than 20 percent of the heroin smuggled intothis country is seized. It is clear that these dedicated men are facedwith an impossible task. But, notwithstanding the impossibility ofeffectively halting heroin smuggling, it appears to me that the FederalGovernment must assume the burden of financing programs thatcombat the addiction caused by the heroin that leaks into this country.From what this committee has heard in these hearings to date, theFederal Government has yet to take upon itself adequately, I believe,this burden. We will take more testimony on this point in the courseof this week.You may recall that in its report on heroin to the 91st Congress, thiscommittee suggested the possibility of a ban on the importation of licitopium into the United States.Our thinking was that the only way to halt heroin smuggling is tohalt opium growing. As an admittedly long-range project, we suggestedthat if Congress banned the importation of licit opium, that is,morphine and codeine, other nations of the world might be willing tofollow suit. Ideally, the opium-producing countries of the world mightthen react favorably to international suggestions to halt altogetherproduction of the opium poppy. At the least, such a move might giveour diplomatic negotiators something to point to when we press foreignnations to help us solve this problem.We also believe that such a ban would be an effective tool for lawenforcement officers. When he testified before this committee lastmonth, Mr. Eugene T. Rossides, assistant secretary of the Treasuryfor Enforcement and Operations, confirmed our belief, saying thatsuch a ban would indeed be useful.A nation without opium derivative painkillers, of course, mustseek alternative painkilling and cough-suppressing drugs. We haveheard impressive testimony that powerful synthetics are now available,although opinion is admittedly divided on this point.Our first witness today, John Ingersoll, Director of the FederalBureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, over a year ago urged thenations of the world to redouble their efforts to find effective andcompletely acceptable synthetic substitutes for opium-based medicinessuch as morphine and codeine. At that time, Mr, Ingersoll said thatthe eradication of opium crops was the "only realistic, long-range solutionto the heroin problem," We agree with that position, and lookforward to Mr. Ingersoll 's further enlightenment on this point.
343Also testifying today is Dr. Charles Edwards, Commissioner of theFood and Drug Administration. The FDA has recently promulgatednew guidelines for the use of methadone as a maintenance drug inaddiction programs. These guidelines are designed to reduce illicit diversionof methadone from private physicians and unscrupulous clinicoperators, "^^^lile many experts have advised us that methadone maybe the best drug we have now to treat heroin addiction, it is clear thatthe use of methadone has dangers of its own, and must be carefullycontrolled.The rest of these hearings will deal with research underway toproduce drugs better than methadone, not addictive in character andnot harmful in some respects in which methadone is for treating addicts,as well as the rehabilitation of drug addicts. Although we mustmake a distinction between curing an addict of his addiction and reintegratinghim into society, as a committee on crime, we are obviouslyanxious to fully explore any treatment approach which offers the hopeof reducing crime in the streets and returning the addict to a productiveand law abiding life.Our earlier hearings have indicated that there are some highlypromising new antiaddiction drugs on the horizon. We want to knowthe status of this research, the adequacy of this research, and whatmore, if anything, the Federal Government can do to help. AVe arespending, as we all Imow, hundreds of millions of dollars in tryingto keep heroin out of this country and dealing with it once it getsinto this country. If we could find some sort of a blocking drug orsome sort of immunizing drug, thereby tending to take the marketaway from the pusher and the seller, you can see how much it wouldcontribute to the reduction of crime.We will question individual scientists who have worked with thesenew drugs, as well as the Government officials who have the overallresponsibility for the Federal role in this area."When the scientific community can talk of developing a vaccinethat for a lifetime would ward off the possibility of drug addiction,I think this Congress ought to know about that research and helpfund it to the fullest extent.We are also very concerned about the state of treatment and rehabilitationfacilities in the Nation. It is estimated that we have 200,000to 300,000 heroin addicts in the United States. It is estimated thatour great city of New York has perhaps a hundred thousand of them.The rest are all over the country.So, what we want to know is what is the state of the treatment andrehabilitation facilities in the Nation? Are they adequate for thechallenge? Are there enough of them? Are they properly dispersed?What techniques have succeeded and which have failed ?I think Congress wants to know the answer to these questions andmust know the answer to these questions if we are to spend intelligentlythe taxpayers' money on these programs.The last dav of these hearings, June 23, will focus specifically onthe adequacv of our treatment and rehabilitation fanil -ties. We expectto have 'with us several Governors who will tell us vrhat their Statesare doing to handle the addiction crisis, and what have been theirsuccesses and failures, and what they think Congress can or shoulddo to help.
- Page 312 and 313: :300vent them from coming to New Yo
- Page 314 and 315: 302[Exhibit No.14(b)]Casriel Instit
- Page 316 and 317: 304to result from the insuflScient
- Page 318 and 319: 306It is this role of the intervent
- Page 320 and 321: 308EESULTSStudies concerning tlie p
- Page 322 and 323: 310The method derives from a specia
- Page 324 and 325: 312Why is this happening? What need
- Page 326 and 327: m)effective with uncured alcoholics
- Page 328 and 329: I316Casriel, who is medical-psychia
- Page 330 and 331: 318resort to heroin. One must not f
- Page 332 and 333: .320in Permanent Cure of Narcotic A
- Page 334 and 335: 322!(4) '-Modification of Adaptatio
- Page 336 and 337: 324sections of the country, all sor
- Page 338 and 339: ;Mr.Pertto.niuch,I?,Mr. Peritq. Tha
- Page 340 and 341: 328Chairman Pepper. Mr. Steiger.Mr.
- Page 342 and 343: , Mr., In''wMr, WiNx.nltiiink tlie
- Page 344 and 345: :332"Stomach cramps" were found to
- Page 346 and 347: 'i.We334'""^li'anTOanl^ETPPEiL That
- Page 348 and 349: :))))336would be deprived of any cl
- Page 350 and 351: 338less abuse liability than agents
- Page 353 and 354: NARCOTICS RESEARCH, REHABILITATION,
- Page 355 and 356: CONTENTSApril 26 1April 27 77April
- Page 357 and 358: :•vEXHIBIT NO. 4 (a) AND (b)Eddy,
- Page 359: :lovernor,vnEXHIBIT NO. 21 (a) and
- Page 364 and 365: 344We hope these hearings will prov
- Page 366 and 367: 346tons in 1962 and to 155 tons in
- Page 368 and 369: 348SOUTHEAST ASIAAs you know also,
- Page 370 and 371: 350I would also point out as I did
- Page 372 and 373: 352their farmers who have been grow
- Page 374 and 375: 354told that much of the insurgency
- Page 376 and 377: 356Mr. IxGERSOLL. Well, again, Mr.
- Page 378 and 379: 358jority of the heroin problem in
- Page 380 and 381: 360years, but I have been frustrate
- Page 382 and 383: 362Mr, Steiger. If you were goin^ t
- Page 384 and 385: 364report marihuana among junior gr
- Page 386 and 387: 366And it seems to me tliat we Avou
- Page 388 and 389: ?368effectively, then maybe we will
- Page 390 and 391: 370improvement as far as the abilit
- Page 392 and 393: 372was there. Your visits probably
- Page 394 and 395: 374the purchase of Avitnesses—I s
- Page 396 and 397: :376administrations to publicly say
- Page 398 and 399: 378Chairman Pepper. We will take a
- Page 400 and 401: 380Mr. Ingersoll. No. I don't recal
- Page 402 and 403: :382can fulfill the vow made by the
- Page 404 and 405: 384have to give you the same answer
- Page 406 and 407: 386Mr. Brasco. But that is another
- Page 408 and 409: 388Mr. Ingeksoll. Well, that is the
- Page 411 and 412: NARCOTICS RESEARCH, REHABILITATION,
343Also testifying today is Dr. Charles Edwards, Commissioner of theFood <strong>and</strong> Drug Administration. The FDA has recently promulgatednew guidelines for the use of methadone as a maintenance drug inaddiction programs. These guidelines are designed to reduce illicit diversionof methadone from private physicians <strong>and</strong> unscrupulous clinicoperators, "^^^lile many experts have advised us that methadone maybe the best drug we have now to treat heroin addiction, it is clear thatthe use of methadone has dangers of its own, <strong>and</strong> must be carefullycontrolled.The rest of these hearings will deal with <strong>research</strong> underway toproduce drugs better than methadone, not addictive in character <strong>and</strong>not harmful in some respects in which methadone is for treating addicts,as well as the <strong>rehabilitation</strong> of drug addicts. Although we mustmake a distinction between curing an addict of his addiction <strong>and</strong> reintegratinghim into society, as a committee on crime, we are obviouslyanxious to fully explore any <strong>treatment</strong> approach which offers the hopeof reducing crime in the streets <strong>and</strong> returning the addict to a productive<strong>and</strong> law abiding life.Our earlier hearings have indicated that there are some highlypromising new antiaddiction drugs on the horizon. We want to knowthe status of this <strong>research</strong>, the adequacy of this <strong>research</strong>, <strong>and</strong> whatmore, if anything, the Federal Government can do to help. AVe arespending, as we all Imow, hundreds of millions of dollars in tryingto keep heroin out of this country <strong>and</strong> dealing with it once it getsinto this country. If we could find some sort of a blocking drug orsome sort of immunizing drug, thereby tending to take the marketaway from the pusher <strong>and</strong> the seller, you can see how much it wouldcontribute to the reduction of crime.We will question individual scientists who have worked with thesenew drugs, as well as the Government officials who have the overallresponsibility for the Federal role in this area."When the scientific community can talk of developing a vaccinethat for a lifetime would ward off the possibility of drug addiction,I think this Congress ought to know about that <strong>research</strong> <strong>and</strong> helpfund it to the fullest extent.We are also very concerned about the state of <strong>treatment</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>rehabilitation</strong>facilities in the Nation. It is estimated that we have 200,000to 300,000 heroin addicts in the United States. It is estimated thatour great city of New York has perhaps a hundred thous<strong>and</strong> of them.The rest are all over the country.So, what we want to know is what is the state of the <strong>treatment</strong> <strong>and</strong><strong>rehabilitation</strong> facilities in the Nation? Are they adequate for thechallenge? Are there enough of them? Are they properly dispersed?What techniques have succeeded <strong>and</strong> which have failed ?I think Congress wants to know the answer to these questions <strong>and</strong>must know the answer to these questions if we are to spend intelligentlythe taxpayers' money on these programs.The last dav of these hearings, June 23, will focus specifically onthe adequacv of our <strong>treatment</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>rehabilitation</strong> fanil -ties. We expectto have 'with us several Governors who will tell us vrhat their Statesare doing to h<strong>and</strong>le the addiction crisis, <strong>and</strong> what have been theirsuccesses <strong>and</strong> failures, <strong>and</strong> what they think Congress can or shoulddo to help.
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