Michael Crapo on Drugs Republican Sr Senator (ID)

Opposed rescheduling marijuana as less dangerous

Excerpts from the letter:

"Current research, science, and trends support the case that marijuana should remain a Schedule I drug. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), research suggests that 30% of marijuana users have marijuana use disorder, which includes individuals who are severely addicted to the drug. It is estimated that today’s marijuana has three times the amount of THC compared to the marijuana consumed 25 years ago. A higher concentration of THC is likely linked to higher rates of addiction. These facts indicate that marijuana has a high potential for abuse and that the risk is only increasing."

2012: Pleaded guilty after DUI arrest, and apologized

After the arrest, he told police he had consumed several shots of vodka before going for a drive. He was arrested after making a U-turn at a red light. He registered a 0.11 blood-alcohol level at the scene. He was sentenced to a $250 fine, a suspended 180-day jail sentence, an alcohol awareness program and a one-year license suspension.

After his guilty plea, Crapo told reporters he had started drinking at home during the previous year in a misguided attempt to relieve stress, and regretted bringing shame to himself and his faith. "I'm swearing off alcohol and I am not going to continue to drink," he said then.

TV ads to prevent teenage meth use.

Authorizes matching grants to states, local government, or private nonprofit organizations to establish the Meth Project Prevention Campaign, which shall be aimed at teenagers. Authorizes the use of grant funds for:
1. television, radio, Internet, and print advertisements and educational materials;
2. community outreach to motivate community involvement in methamphetamine education;
3. a benchmark survey and periodic studies of attitudes and behaviors related to methamphetamine ; and
4. qualitative research to assist in the development and testing of Campaign messaging and the effectiveness of methamphetamine education.

Congress finds that--
• methamphetamine is a leading drug threat to the US
• crime related to methamphetamine abuse continues to increase
• methamphetamine laboratories pose a dangerous threat in terms of toxicity, severe environmental and property damage, violence, and public safety
• 24% of teens nationally report it would be easy or somewhat easy to obtain methamphetamine
• 33% of teens believe there is only slight or no risk to trying methamphetamines once or twice
• the annual economic burden of methamphetamine use in the US is estimated at between $16,200,000,000 and $48,300,000,000 annually; and
• there are currently no particular pharmacological treatments for dependence on methamphetamine.

Require chemical resellers to certify against meth use.

Sen. FEINSTEIN: This act is designed to address problems that the Drug Enforcement Administration, DEA, has identified in the implementation of the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act of 2005. The bill that I introduce today would:

• clarify that all retailers, including mail order retailers, who sell products that contain chemicals often used to make methamphetamine--like ephedrine, pseudoepedrine and phenylpropanolamine--must self-certify that they have trained their personnel and will comply with the Combat Meth Act`s requirements;
• require distributors to sell these products only to retailers who have certified that they will comply with the law;
• require the DEA to publish the list of all retailers who have filed self-certifications, on the DEA`s website;
• and clarify that any retailer who negligently fails to file self-certification as required, may be subject to civil fines and penalties.

This is a common-sense bill, designed to strengthen the implementation of the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act. This bill would create incentives to ensure that the self-certification process of the law is made both effective and enforceable. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.