Declaring September "National Alcohol And Drug Addiction Recovery Month" and recognizing the First Annual Recovery Walks! to be held on September 29, 2002.

WHEREAS, Substance use and abuse is a major public health problem that affects millions of Americans of all ages, races and ethnic backgrounds and in all communities with a huge medical, societal and economic cost; and

WHEREAS, Addiction is a chronic illness that involves significant physical changes in brain function and treatments exist for it, that are, as effective as the treatment of other chronic medical conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and asthma; and

WHEREAS, Recognizing September as “National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month” (Recovery Month), seeks to highlight the societal benefits of substance abuse treatment, applauds the contributions of treatment providers and promotes the message that recovery is possible. It further affords the substance abuse treatment community an opportunity to educate the public and policymakers about the effectiveness of treatment, both societal and financial; and

WHEREAS, 2002’s theme

“Join the Voices of Recovery: A Call to Action”

is intended to focus the Nation’s attention on the approximately 2.9 million Americans in dire need of treatment and to support the men, women and youth who are currently in drug and alcohol addiction recovery; and

WHEREAS, The cost of untreated drug and alcohol addiction in the U.S., has been estimated at $276 billion per year in lost productivity, law enforcement, health care, justice, welfare, and other programs and services. It is estimated that there are 10 million active alcohol and other drug addicted individuals in the U.S.; and

WHEREAS, PRO-ACT (Pennsylvania Recovery Organization — Achieving Community Together) will honor Recovery Month with the first annual walk to celebrate recovery in the five-county area. The three mile walk is expected to attract hundreds of participants, recognize survivors, provide hope for families and individuals still struggling with addiction and increase awareness that recovery is not only possible, but is manifest in multitudes of lives today; now therefore

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That September is declared “National Alcohol and Addiction Recovery Month.” We commend The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHA) and PRO-ACT for their efforts to educate the public on the crucial role treatment plays in reclaiming lives ravaged by alcoholism and drug addiction; and

FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to PRO-ACT as evidence of the sincere respect and admiration of this legislative body.

End