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REMARKS BY:     	DONNA E. SHALALA, SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND 
                           HUMAN SERVICES
PLACE:         	        SAMHSA "Teaming Up for Prevention" Forum
			Washington, D.C.  
DATE:			April 12, 1996

Every day, you are those candles, lighting the way for families and communities across this country.

With your help, President Clinton's economic policies have helped create more than 8 million new jobs; the deficit has been cut in half; unemployment and inflation are way down; and home ownership is at its highest level in 15 years.

You are the real job creators and community builders.

You are the foundation of our economy and the sculptors of our future.

And that's never been more important than right now.

Because right now, a rising star at a major CPA firm may be using cocaine in the restroom, wreaking havoc on her life and risking the loss of a major client.

Right now, an assembly line worker at a manufacturing plant may be operating a forklift under the influence of alcohol, putting unsuspecting co-workers at risk, and threatening a tight production schedule.

And right now, a computer whiz for a small consulting company may be calling in sick for the fifth time in two weeks -- unable to get out of bed after another all-night drug party, and a physical fight with his wife.

These Americans are not alone -- seven out of 10 drug users hold down jobs.

And whether it's marijuana, cocaine, alcohol, or heroin, the results are almost always the same -- they are tragic.

Economists say workplace drug abuse costs us $60 to $100 billion a year in lost productivity.

But it costs us even more than that:

Lost lives and lost families; broken bones and broken careers; failed neighborhoods and failed businesses.

Substance abuse in the workplace doesn't just stop at the doors to the shop floor, the office, or the boardroom.

It weaves a destructive trail through entire communities -- and short-circuits our economic potential for the future.

And that's why effective prevention must stretch like a blanket across boundaries of people's lives -- from where they work, to where they live, to where they play, to where they study, to where they worship.

And that's what this forum is really all about.

It's about building strong families and strong communities. It's about building America's ability to compete -- and win -- in the fast-paced global economy.

It's about building bridges of teamwork between management, labor and community groups so that we can strengthen our workforce together.

And it's about your leadership, your commitment, your courage in helping us wipe out substance abuse in workplaces and communities.

I'm thinking about companies like Chamberlin Contractors, of suburban Maryland.

Since 1987, their substance abuse program for employees has helped slash workers' compensation costs by more than half while preventing on the job injuries.

I'm thinking about Levi Strauss and Co., whose comprehensive substance abuse program is helping save hundreds of thousands of dollars a year in health costs and absenteeism.

And I'm thinking about Johnson and Johnson, where a series of workplace initiatives has led to a dramatic drop in positive drug tests for workers -- from 4.3 percent in 1986 to less than half a percent in 1994.

Because of your leadership -- success stories like these are being written all over America.

And today, I am pleased to release results of a new detailed analysis from our National Household Surveys on Drug Abuse that provides good news and new information to help us in our great shared struggle against substance abuse.

The report finds that the use of illicit drugs has declined by more than half among American workers since the mid-1980s.

It shows that workers in occupations that demand the public's trust --

like police officers, teachers and child care workers report the lowest rates of illicit drug use.

And, it shows that workers in occupations that impact public safety, including truck drivers, fire fighters, and mechanics , report the highest rates of participation in mandatory drug testing.

The survey also spotlights some of the occupations in which we need to build on your achievements and intensify our national efforts.

Those include construction workers, waiters, waitresses, and workers in food preparation.

Clearly, our work is far from done.

That's why I am so pleased to announce a new initiative to help employers implement substance abuse prevention programs and policies.

By calling 1-800-WORKPLACE, employers will be able to get the guidance and technical assistance they need in both English and Spanish.

And, in partnership with the Department of Labor and the Small Business Administration, we're making a special effort to lend a hand to small businesses -- the engine of economic growth in America, and the sector of our business community that is least likely to have the resources to develop substance abuse prevention programs.

All these efforts are part of a larger Clinton Administration anti-drug strategy, an anti-drug strategy that is bold, comprehensive, and infused with new leadership in the form of General Barry McCaffrey, our new Drug Policy Coordinator.

The President's approach balances tough law enforcement with a commitment to preventing drug use before it occurs.

On the supply side, we're working with our international partners to stiff-arm the cartels and their street-level dealers long before they can lure our workers with their poison.

And we're sending a very clear message to foreign source countries:

Either get tough on drug production and trafficking, or risk losing foreign aid and international loans.

At home, we're supporting close to 400 community partnerships and coalitions around the country to help develop prevention strategies that are locally tailored and locally driven.

And, we're turning up the heat by putting more police on our streets so that children can play safely and businesses can thrive.

This President fought the gun lobby to pass the Brady bill and the assault weapons ban.

And he will not let them be overturned.

He fought for "three strikes and you're out," to send career criminals into retirement with a steel parachute.

We're also pursuing a major research agenda to deflate all the myths that drugs don't cause lasting harm.

And, we're sending the strongest possible signals all across the country that we will never, ever support the legalization of marijuana -- or any other illicit drug.

We're challenging the media and entertainment industries to de-glamorize drugs and re-glamorize opportunity; we're sending a clear anti-drug message to all Americans: drug use is illegal, dangerous, and wrong; and we're working hard to prevent drug use among young people -- our future workforce -- and to reach them, we need your help.

You must tell young people early on -- through recruiters and job advertisements --

that if they use drugs, you have absolutely no interest in hiring them.

No matter how talented. No matter how smart. No matter how hardworking.

Our young people must know that drug use is a clear and present danger when it comes to their careers and their futures.

Because government cannot -- and should not -- try to meet this challenge alone.

It's going to take all of us -- management and labor; community groups and business groups; big business and small business; urban communities and rural communities; full-time workers and part-time workers; women and men -- working together to get drugs out of the workplace and out of our communities.

So, let us leave here today stronger than ever, more committed than ever, more determined than ever to get the job done.

Let us return to our communities and workplaces with a renewed vigor to spread the word about the dangers of drugs and the importance of prevention.

Let us focus on widening our circle of allies, to include everyone with a stake in this battle: from clergy helping families overcome hardships, to parents talking to children about the dangers of drugs, to supervisors recognizing the signs of trouble -- and knowing how to stop it in its tracks.

It won't be easy -- but nothing worth doing ever is.

Let's do it!

Thank you.