Gary Mayor Scott King addressed speakers and press during the 10th annual observance of National Alcohol and Drug Recovery Month held in Washington, DC..  This year's theme, "Addiction Treatment: Investing in People for Business Success," resonated loudly with Mayor King, who recounted a moving experience of dealing with how a city employee who had violated the city's Drug-Free Workplace policy, and how that same employee later thanked him for changing his life.  Mayor King, joined by Dr. Westley Clark, Director, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT), Dr.  Nelba Chavez, Administrator, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and other speakers,  applauded the many employers who provided their employees with access to vital drug treatment information through Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs).  "Whether you are a corporate CEO or a small business owner, you need to know that simple, effective steps -- including ready access to treatment, workplace policies and employee education -- can lower substance abuse and its human and economic effects on businesses," said Nelba Chavez, Administrator of SAMHSA.

Mayor King, co-chair of the Conference's Drug Control Task Force, also emphasized the political importance of providing every person in need of substance abuse treatment with full and equal access to treatment services.  Full parity for substance abuse treatment services under health insurance coverage would require Medicare, specifically, to handle substance abuse treatment as it would any other illness.  Mayor King pledged the Conference's continued support in urging the Congress to fully re-authorize SAMHSA.

At the press conference, the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment also released a new report, "Worker Drug Use and Workplace Policies and Programs."   The report provides estimates of the prevalence of use of a variety of illicit drugs, alcohol, and tobacco, based on a nationally representative sample of the civilian noninstitutionalized population age 12 years and older.  The principal findings of this report include:

• In 1997, 70% of all current illicit drug users age 18-49 were fully employed.

• About eight percent of full-time workers age 18-49 reported current illicit drug use.

• In 1997, of all current illicit drug users working full-time, 44% worked for small establishments with under 25 employees.

• The percent of all current illicit drug users working for medium sized establishments (25 to 499 employees) increased from 30% in 1994 to 43% in 1997.

Recovery Month activities will continue nationwide with 20 community forums being held during September.   Copies of CSAT's report and information about the community forums can be obtained via SAMHSA's website:  or from the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information, P.O. Box 2345, Rockville, MD 20847-2345; 301-443-0365.