ONDCP Blog

Join the Chorus of Voices Speaking Out Against Drugged Driving

Our world changed in 2010 after the death of our 33-year-old son, Brian. Two women, drugged on marijuana, methamphetamine, and heroin, were driving an SUV that crossed into Brian’s lane. While changing her sweater, the driver turned the steering wheel over to a passenger.  Therefore, both were charged as vehicle operators.   The SUV went airborne and crashed through Brian’s windshield. Three men lost their lives that night. Brian’s pregnant widow sustained grave injuries from which she is not likely to recover.

After the collision, my education began on the nature of drugged driving trials. I learned it is profoundly difficult to successfully convict someone of driving under the influence of drugs.  Drunk drivers can be convicted predictably, in part due to per se laws that prohibit driving with more than 0.08 grams per deciliter of alcohol in the driver’s blood. Yet there are no similar per se laws for drugs in most of the United States, even though it’s much more difficult to prove drug impairment than alcohol impairment.

During the trial of Brian’s killers, the defense attorney said, “It’s not unlawful to drive with illegal drugs in your body.” That shocking statement is true in most of the country. The women were convicted of vehicular homicide and assault, but the verdict was based on driving with disregard for the safety of others rather than on driving under the influence of drugs. Assuming standard parole, they probably will serve only 18 months in prison per homicide.

I now direct Deception Pass 3, a network of drugged-driving victims who have joined me in an effort to enact drugged-driving legislation. Our primary focus is to bring effective drug per se laws to the 33 states that don’t yet have them. We enjoy the support of many experts and consultants.  We encourage drugged driving victims to contact us. Your voice can be heard.

When a Coach is More than a Coach

In suburban Virginia, 50 high school athletes trickle onto the field and don their soccer cleats and practice jerseys. The coach pulls the players together and gives them the plan for the day. Soon the players are in action, running, kicking, yelling, joking, and happy to be doing what they love most.

Half an hour into practice, another player arrives and walks slowly onto the field, frowning and clearly distracted. He approaches the coach and says he’s late because he got in trouble at school. The conversation could have ended there, perhaps with punitive laps around the field. Fortunately, the coach does not let the matter drop. He senses something is amiss and knows this could be a perfect time to use his role as an adult influencer to make a positive difference in a young man’s life.

Mindful of the special relationship between players and coaches, and recognizing that sports provide opportunities for coaches to talk to students about important issues such as drug use, the Virginia High School League (VHSL) requires every coach to complete a challenging online course that emphasizes the principles of positive coaching. This training, detailed in the VHSL Handbook and Policy Manual, is necessary for certification as a coach at all Virginia public high schools and at private Virginia high schools that are VHSL members. Every coach must complete the course and pass a test to confirm his or her understanding of the material. Woven into the program is information on developing skills for educating students and their parents about the harmful effects of alcohol and drug abuse. The course also provides examples of how best to communicate with student athletes and how to make sure they not only hear the message, but fully comprehend and accept it.

Coaches influence a large and growing number of students in America. For 22 consecutive years, the number of high school students playing sports has exceeded the previous year’s total, according to the annual High School Athletics Participation Survey, released recently by the National Federation of State High School Associations. More than 7.6 million students played sports during the 2010-2011 school year, an increase of nearly 40,000 students compared to 2009-2010. The organization estimates that 55.5 percent of all high school students participate in sports.

Back on the practice field, the coach pulls the late-arriving player aside. He asks the young man about the trouble he’s in, all the while watching for clues in the player’s words and demeanor. Could it be substance abuse? At this moment, he is more than a soccer coach. He is mentor, counselor, friend, and concerned adult. His brief, targeted intervention is mindful of the lessons learned in the VHSL coaching course on recognizing the signs of drug use and how best to deliver messages that matter.

As it turns out, the young athlete’s trouble was minor and had nothing to do with drugs. Satisfied that no further action is necessary, the coach sends the player out to join his teammates on the field. It was a short conversation, over in minutes. But sometimes that is all it takes to make a meaningful, enduring impact in a young person’s life.

Michael Reles, a Budget Analyst at ONDCP, is a Virginia high school soccer coach, certified by the Virginia High School League, Virginia Youth Soccer Association, and U.S. Soccer Federation.

Savoring Second Chances on ‘Small Business Saturday’

This Saturday, November 24, is Small Business Saturday, a day to celebrate small businesses and all that they contribute to our communities. The Office of National Drug Control Policy joins in this effort to support small businesses, and we extend a special “thank you” to businesses that give people in recovery the second chance they rightfully deserve.

Gwendolyn’s Café is a small business in Fort Myers, Florida, that knows the value of hiring someone in recovery. Owner and operator Gwendolyn Howard started the restaurant in 2010 and has since hired about 20 people in recovery from drug or alcohol abuse. Howard made these hiring decisions because, as a recovering alcoholic herself, she knows that a past addiction does not determine the quality of someone’s character.

Howard changes lives by providing job opportunities, an important step for people in recovery as they join society as sober citizens. Best of all, with a steady job and a life free of substance use, many of Howard’s recovering employees benefit further by getting back their children, family, and friends.

We thank all of the small business owners across the Nation who, like Howard, support people in recovery. Tweet with us on Saturday to show how you are honoring #SmallBizSat and people in #recovery.

Advocates for Action Guest Post: Providing Hope and Opportunity

The prescription drug abuse epidemic has ravaged southern and eastern Kentucky. We have been hit harder than most, but our pain is now being felt by others as the scourge has spread across the country.

Drug abuse affects virtually every family in the country, including my own. I have two nephews struggling with substance abuse and a brother who has been recovering from addiction for the past 20 years. Their successes and setbacks provide motivation for me to help others in similar situations. I persevere armed with faith that God will guide our efforts and strengthen our resolve.

My heart breaks every time I meet a child who has not eaten at home in days because his or her caregivers are more concerned about feeding their drug habit than feeding their children. I want to scream when these children share stories about seeing parents inserting needles in their arms or describe their deplorable living conditions. Far too many kids have become innocent victims of abuse or neglect because of their parents’ addiction.

Sometimes it is difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel; drug abuse is like a dark cloud obscuring the possibilities of a brighter future. Before we can turn things around, we must reach out to the next generation. We must show young people that no matter how dire their current circumstances may appear, there is a way out. The road may not be easy, but with the help of loving, caring adults and their peers, there is hope and opportunity for a better future.

These stories are repeated in every community across our great Nation. Many dedicated individuals and organizations are leading crusades against prescription drug abuse. But success comes slowly. That is why UNITE organized the first National Rx Drug Abuse Summit in 2012 (and will host a second Summit in 2013). Stakeholders discussed prescription drug problems in their communities and came together with a focus on ways to make an impact through holistic collaboration.

UNITE’s efforts seek to impart hope: Hope for addicts seeking help. Hope for families confused and frustrated by a loved one’s addiction. Hope for those in recovery that they can once again become productive members of society. And, most important, hope that our children realize there can be a better tomorrow.

Operation UNITE is a non-profit organization providing a holistic approach to substance abuse through law enforcement, treatment, and education initiatives.