COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
FOR
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 79
(By Mr. Speaker (Mr. Kiss) and Delegates DeLong, Amores,
Anderson, Argento, Armstead, Ashley, Azinger, Barker, Beach,
Beane, Blair, Boggs, Border, Brown, Browning, Butcher, Campbell,
Cann, Canterbury, Caputo, Carmichael, Craig, Crosier, Doyle,
Duke, Eldridge, Ellem, Ennis, Evans, Ferrell, Fragale, Frederick,
Frich, Hall, Hamilton, Hartman, Hatfield, Houston, Howard,
Hrutkay, Hunt, Iaquinta, Kominar, Leach, Leggett, Long,
Longstreth, Louisos, Mahan, Manchin, Marshall, Martin, Michael,
Miley, Moore, Morgan, Overington, Palumbo, Paxton, Perdue, Perry,
Pethtel, Pino, Poling, Porter, Proudfoot, Roberts, Romine, Rowan,
Schadler, Schoen, Sobonya, Spencer, Stalnaker, Staton, Stemple,
Stephens, Stevens, Sumner, Susman, Swartzmiller, Tabb, Talbott,
Tansill, R. Thompson, R. M. Thompson, Tucker, Varner, Wakim,
Walters, Webster, Wells, G. White, H. White, Williams, Wysong and
Yost)
Requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance to study
the increasing drug problem in West Virginia, drug use among
juveniles, criminal penalties related to drug use, treatment
options and how the state can cooperate with other states,
specifically in the border counties.
Whereas, There were 2,060 state and local arrests for drug abuse violations in West Virginia during 2003; and
Whereas, During 2002, the West Virginia Division of Criminal
Justice Services funded one statewide and fifteen regional Drug
and Violent Crime Control task forces. These task forces made
983 arrests for drug-related activity in 2002. The arrests
resulted in 1,465 offenses charged to adults and 22 offenses
charged to juveniles (some arrests involved more than one
offense); and
Whereas, Approximately 55% of West Virginia 12th graders
surveyed in 2003 reported using marijuana at least once during
their lifetime; and
Whereas, Powder and crack cocaine are widely available in
most West Virginia cities. Abuse of crack is usually restricted
to low and low-middle income individuals, but crosses all ethnic
lines; and
Whereas, The border counties in the Northern Panhandle are
facing an influx of heroin; and
Whereas, Marijuana is the most widely available and commonly
used drug in West Virginia. The state consistently ranks in the
top ten states for marijuana eradication and commonly serves as a
source area for domestic marijuana; and
Whereas, Methamphetamine has become an increasing drug threat
to West Virginia; and
Whereas, Demand for MDMA (esctasy) in West Virginia has increased, but abuse remains concentrated near Morgantown, which
is the location of West Virginia University. The demand for MDMA
in college towns is large enough to bring thousands of pills into
the state every month. The state's remote terrain also makes it
suitable to host "rave" parties; and
Whereas, West Virginia was one of the first areas in the
United States to experience widely publicized problems with
OxyContin oxycodone diversion and abuse. Pharmaceutical drug
abuse in general has always been an enormous concern in West
Virginia, particularly in the southern region; and
Whereas, In 2000 the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration
reported there were a total of one hundred forty-five
methamphetamine lab seizures, including labs and dump sites in
West Virginia and its bordering states; and
Whereas, There exists no coordinated national response to the
methamphetamine (meth) issues faced by states. The United States
currently lacks a centralized clearinghouse for meth-related
information; and
Whereas, Currently there exists no centralized dedicated
stream of funding for states to access for assisting in
countering the criminal, health, social and environmental effects
of meth; and
Whereas, Law-enforcement officials are faced with increasing
challenges as meth and meth production shift from state-to-state as laws vary across the region; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance is hereby
requested to study the increasing drug problem in West Virginia,
drug use among juveniles, criminal penalties related to drug use,
treatment options and how this state can cooperate with other
states, specifically in the border counties; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government and
Finance report on its findings, conclusions and recommendations,
together with drafts of any legislation necessary to effectuate
its recommendations, to the next regular session of the
Legislature; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the expenses necessary to conduct
this study, to prepare a report and to draft necessary
legislation be paid from legislative appropriations to the Joint
Committee on Government and Finance.