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
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.
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