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4526335
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Jaycees, Grandville, MI, October 27, 1970
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4526335
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document
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Jaycees, Grandville, MI, October 27, 1970
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Gerald R. Ford Congressional Papers
Speeches
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Drug abuse
Legislation
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1970-10-31
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1970
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1970-10-01
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1970
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The original documents are located in Box D30, folder "Jaycees, Grandville, MI, October 27, 1970" of the Ford Congressional Papers: Press Secretary and Speech File at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library. Copyright Notice The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. The Council donated to the United States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections. Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library. Distribution all Ifth District only 10/22/70 p.m moffice Copy CONGRESSMAN NEWS GERALD R. FORD HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADER RELEASE --FOR RELEASE AT 7 P.M. TUESDAY-- October 27, 1970 Excerpts from a Speech by Rep. Gerald R. Ford before the Grandville Jaycees We are today witnessing the most progressive and far-reaching Federal attack on drug abuse ever undertaken in the United States. The attack is two-pronged--legislative and administrative. Legislatively, the Congress has just completed action on the most comprehensive drug abuse prevention and control bill ever written. Administratively, the Nixon Administration has embarked on the most sweeping effort ever launched to curb the drug traffic in this country and choke off sources of supply. One of the most dramatic developments in the war against dope was the nation- wide raid earlier this year in which 139 persons were arrested in 10 different cities. That was the largest narcotics raid in the history of this country. It is estimated that the ring which was broken up had handled 30 per cent of all heroin sales in the United States and 75 to 80 per cent of all cocaine sales. Ever since taking office, President Nixon has directed a stepped-up campaign against the illicit traffic in hard drugs, aimed chiefly at peddlers who are trading in young lives. Moving against sources of supply, the Administration has negotiated with the governments of Turkey, France and Mexico to enlist their support in cutting off the flow of heroin. Most recently France has joined with the United States in a drive to curb the narcotics traffic flowing from Turkey to France via the Mediterranean and thence across the Atlantic. About 80 per cent of the heroin reaching the United States comes from opium shipped illegally from Turkey and processed in Southern France. The French Embassy has informed me that 380 new recruits have been assigned to narcotics control duty in France since 1969, and 5,000 agents of the Customs Service Gendarmerie and National Police Force have received basic training in the drug problem and drug detection methods. The accelerated French effort has resulted in the indictment of 311 traffickers in drugs and the apprehension of 1,400 drug users. French authorities have seized 1,290 pounds of opium, 286 pounds of morphine, 143 pounds of heroin and 586 pounds of marihuana in the past 12 months. (more) Digitized from Box D30 of The Ford Congressional Papers: Press Secretary and Speech File at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library This type of program is the most effective way of preventing illegal drugs from reaching the U.S. market. If we can stop the production and exportation of illegal narcotics from foreign nations, we will have made great progress toward combatting the drug abuse problem at home. Meantime the Congress has passed the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970, completing action on it a little earlier this month. President Nixon had sought passage of this legislation in a message to Congress more than 14 months ago, so I would say the Congress acted a bit tardily. But now we have the legislation and it promises to be a tremendous help in meeting the drug problem. The new drug control legislation has three principal objectives: To deter drug abuse through improved drug abuse prevention and control and through expanded educational programs; to provide improved rehabilitation treatment of drug abusers; and to encourage research into the causes of drug abuse. The program called for by the new legislation is most ambitious but it is mandatory if we are to deal effectively with the crisis of drug abuse which is sweeping our Nation. The new drug control legislation gets tougher with the peddler and pusher while seeking to rehabilitate the user and warn away the potential user. The educational provisions of the new legislation are among the most important. In the ultimate, the success of the war on drugs will depend on the extent and quality of the education effort engaged in by the Government and private organizations combined. This is why the work being done locally by Project Rehab is so vital. The new legislation authorizes grants and contracts by the Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare, first, for the collection, preparation and dissemina- tion of educational materials on drug use and abuse; and, second, for the development and evaluation of programs of drug abuse education directed at the general public, school-age children, and special high-risk groups. In addition to these responsibilities, the HEW Secretary will train persons to organize and participate in programs of public drug abuse education; coordinate Federal efforts in drug abuse education; and provide technical assistance to the States and local communities regarding drug abuse education programs. The use of drugs presents a danger not only to the individual but to the community in general. Drug abuse is a primary cause of the enormous increase in street crimes in the last decade. And so in moving against drug abuse, we are also moving against crime. The job of curbing drug abuse will be a long hard one, for the Nation must repair damage incurred by years of neglect of the drug war. # # # CONGRESSMAN NEWS GERALD R. FORD HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADER RELEASE --FOR RELEASE AT 7 P.M. TUESDAY-- October 27, 1970 Excerpts from a Speech by Rep. Gerald R. Ford before the Grandville Jaycees We are today witnessing the most progressive and far-reaching Federal attack on drug abuse ever undertaken in the United States. The attack is two-pronged--legislative and administrative. Legislatively, the Congress has just completed action on the most comprehensive drug abuse prevention and control bill ever written. Administratively, the Nixon Administration has embarked on the most sweeping effort ever launched to curb the drug traffic in this country and choke off sources of supply. One of the most dramatic developments in the war against dope was the nation- wide raid earlier this year in which 139 persons were arrested in 10 different cities. That was the largest narcotics raid in the history of this country. It is estimated that the ring which was broken up had handled 30 per cent of all heroin sales in the United States and 75 to 80 per cent of all cocaine sales. Ever since taking office, President Nixon has directed a stepped-up campaign against the illicit traffic in hard drugs, aimed chiefly at peddlers who are trading in young lives. Moving against sources of supply, the Administration has negotiated with the governments of Turkey, France and Mexico to enlist their support in cutting off the flow of heroin. Most recently France has joined with the United States in a drive to curb the narcotics traffic flowing from Turkey to France via the Mediterranean and thence across the Atlantic. About 80 per cent of the heroin reaching the United States comes from opium shipped illegally from Turkey and processed in Southern France. The French Embassy has informed me that 380 new recruits have been assigned to narcotics control duty in France since 1969, and 5,000 agents of the Customs Service Gendarmerie and National Police Force have received basic training in the drug problem and drug detection methods. The accelerated French effort has resulted in the indictment of 311 traffickers in drugs and the apprehension of 1,400 drug users. French authorities have seized 1,290 pounds of opium, 286 pounds of morphine, 143 pounds of heroin and 586 pounds of marihuana in the past 12 months. (more) This type of program is the most effective way of preventing illegal drugs from reaching the U.S. market. If we can stop the production and exportation of illegal narcotics from foreign nations, we will have made great progress toward combatting the drug abuse problem at home. Meantime the Congress has passed the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970, completing action on it a little earlier this month. President Nixon had sought passage of this legislation in a message to Congress more than 14 months ago, so I would say the Congress acted a bit tardily. But now we have the legislation and it promises to be a tremendous help in meeting the drug problem. The new drug control legislation has three principal objectives: To deter drug abuse through improved drug abuse prevention and control and through expanded educational programs; to provide improved rehabilitation treatment of drug abusers; and to encourage research into the causes of drug abuse. The program called for by the new legislation is most ambitious but it is mandatory if we are to deal effectively with the crisis of drug abuse which is sweeping our Nation. The new drug control legislation gets tougher with the peddler and pusher while seeking to rehabilitate the user and warn away the potential user. The educational provisions of the new legislation are among the most important. In the ultimate, the success of the war on drugs will depend on the extent and quality of the education effort engaged in by the Government and private organizations combined. This is why the work being done locally by Project Rehab is so vital. The new legislation authorizes grants and contracts by the Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare, first, for the collection, preparation and dissemina- tion of educational materials on drug use and abuse; and, second, for the development and evaluation of programs of drug abuse education directed at the general public, school-age children, and special high-risk groups. In addition to these responsibilities, the HEW Secretary will train persons to organize and participate in programs of public drug abuse education; coordinate Federal efforts in drug abuse education; and provide technical assistance to the States and local communities regarding drug abuse education programs. The use of drugs presents a danger not only to the individual but to the community in general. Drug abuse is a primary cause of the enormous increase in street crimes in the last decade. And so in moving against drug abuse, we are also moving against crime. The job of curbing drug abuse will be a long hard one, for the Nation must repair damage incurred by years of neglect of the drug war.