H.R. No. 680 R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, For the first time in 15 years, the use of alcohol, 1-2 tobacco, and other drugs is on the rise and statistics regarding 1-3 this growing dependency represent a sobering toll in terms of both 1-4 human and financial costs; and 1-5 WHEREAS, Every American pays nearly $1,000 annually to cover 1-6 the tremendous costs incurred by these destructive behaviors, 1-7 including lost productivity of workers, extra medical attention 1-8 needed for those that abuse, and an increase in law enforcement 1-9 officers on the street to combat a corresponding increase in auto 1-10 accidents and crime; and 1-11 WHEREAS, These behaviors also exact enormous costs in other 1-12 ways, with the abuse of alcohol, tobacco, and drugs closely linked 1-13 to the occurrence of AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, 1-14 unwanted pregnancies, fetal deaths, and birth defects; and 1-15 WHEREAS, It is estimated that the country could reduce its 1-16 health care spending by $90.4 billion if alcohol, tobacco, and drug 1-17 dependencies could be prevented before they get started; prevention 1-18 programs have proven the most effective means by which to keep 1-19 young people from engaging in these destructive behaviors, but 1-20 these programs have recently experienced cuts in funding, despite 1-21 the findings of the 1994 Monitoring the Future Survey and the Texas 1-22 Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse School Survey indicating the 1-23 pervasiveness of the problem; and 1-24 WHEREAS, It is imperative that the state demonstrate its 2-1 commitment to ending the tremendous suffering and pain associated 2-2 with alcohol, tobacco, and drug abuse by encouraging and supporting 2-3 the expansion of public and private prevention programs; to this 2-4 end, a day has been set aside to increase public awareness of this 2-5 serious problem and to seek positive solutions to ending this 2-6 tragedy for the sake of the next generation; now, therefore, be it 2-7 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 74th Texas 2-8 Legislature hereby designate April 25, 1995, as Alcohol, Tobacco, 2-9 and Other Drug Abuse Prevention Day at the Capitol and encourage 2-10 all Texans to work together on this day to seek a brighter future 2-11 for all of the citizens of this state.