CASA Press Release

FOR RELEASE: May 11, 2004, 1:30 p.m. EST
Contact: Richard Mulieri
212-841-5260
rmulieri@casacolumbia.org

STATEMENT FROM JOSEPH A. CALIFANO, JR. CHAIRMAN AND PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL CENTER ON ADDICTION AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE (CASA) AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY AND FORMER U.S. SECRETARY OF HEALTH, EDUCATION AND WELFARE ON THE DANGERS OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS AND ALCOHOL TO OLDER AMERICANS

"I congratulate the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Food and Drug Administration and the Administration on Aging on the release of As You Age.A Guide to Aging, Medicines, and Alcohol to combat substance abuse among older Americans.

"The CASA 1998 report entitled Under the Rug, Substance Abuse and the Mature Woman revealed that nearly one in five women over age 59 in the United States, (17 percent) are addicted to nicotine, seven percent abuse alcohol; and more than one in 10 (11 percent) abuse psychoactive drugs. The CASA report went on to find that of $10 billion in acute care hospital charges resulting from substance abuse and addiction in mature women, 98 percent ($9.8 billion) is spent to treat the illnesses and injuries that are the consequence of the abuse and addiction and only two percent ($205 million) is spent to treat substance abuse and addiction.

"I hope the pamphlet will help not only elderly patients, but also serve to alert physicians to be more sensitive to the symptoms of substance abuse among their elderly patients."

The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University is the only national organization that brings together under one roof all the professional disciplines needed to study and combat all types of substance abuse as they affect all aspects of society. CASA's missions are to: inform Americans of the economic and social costs of substance abuse and its impact on their lives; assess what works in prevention, treatment and law enforcement; encourage every individual and institution to take responsibility to combat substance abuse and addiction; provide those on the front lines with tools they need to succeed; and remove the stigma of substance abuse and replace shame and despair with hope.

With a staff of 74 professionals, CASA has conducted demonstration projects in 82 sites in 40 cities and 20 states focused on children, families and schools, and has been testing the effectiveness of drug and alcohol treatment, monitoring 15,000 individuals in more than 200 programs and five drug courts in 26 states. CASA is the creator of the nationwide Family Day initiative - the fourth Monday in September that promotes parental engagement as a simple and effective way to reduce children's risk of smoking, drinking and using illegal drugs.