Governor Commended for Making Rockefeller Drug Law Reforms Real, Saving Lives Through Treatment

ALBANY, NY (10/07/2009)(readMedia)-- State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Services (OASAS) Commissioner Karen M. Carpenter-Palumbo today commended the Governor on his leadership in making the Rockefeller Drug Law Reforms real - saving lives through treatment.

"Thanks to Governor Paterson's vision and staunch leadership, we are celebrating a historic day for the addiction field and all New Yorkers," said Commissioner Carpenter-Palumbo. "Today, the draconian and failed policies of the Rockefeller Drug Laws are replaced with real reforms that will lead to real recovery for thousands of individuals struggling with alcohol and drug addiction - saving lives."

For 35 years, New York placed a high concentration of drug users in prison under Rockefeller Drug Laws where drug possession resulted in lengthy prison terms. These misguided laws resulted in prison overcrowding, high costs to taxpayers and individuals being placed back in society who endlessly cycle back into the prison system, often referred to as the "revolving door" of addiction and crime.

Commissioner Carpenter-Palumbo continued, "New York will now treat addiction as a health concern and focus on treating the disease, rather than locking up the patient. Eighty percent of the individuals currently in the state prison system have a substance abuse problem- that's 47,200 individuals who need treatment."

Treatment works for this population:

• Every $1 invested in addiction treatment programs yields a return of between $4 and $7 in reduced drug-related crime, criminal justice costs, and theft alone.

• Treatment Costs Less: $30,000 a year spent on residential treatment versus $40,000 a year for incarceration.

• The evidence shows that those who are currently diverted into treatment instead of prison have a lower recidivism rate - as much as 45 percent lower.

In partnership with state agencies and the addiction field, OASAS is ready to meet the treatment needs for those who will be properly diverted into treatment — increasing successful treatment outcomes, enabling individuals to live a life of recovery as taxpaying citizens and decreasing the likelihood of further criminal justice involvement.

When fully implemented, these reforms will lead to a significant investment in the OASAS addiction treatment system.  

OASAS oversees one of the nation's largest addiction services systems dedicated to Prevention, Treatment and Recovery, with more than 1,550 programs serving over 110,000 New Yorkers on any given day.

Through efforts such as the Your Story Matters campaign at www.iamrecovery.com, the agency hopes to foster a movement of recovery, one that sheds the stigma and promotes a life of health and wellness.

Addiction is a chronic disease and New Yorkers need to know that help and hope is available. Individuals can find help by calling the toll-free, 24-hour, 7-day a week HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY. For more information, please visit www.oasas.state.ny.us.

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