Dear Chairman Obey and Ranking Member Walsh:

We are writing to express our strong support for $355 million for the state grants portion of the Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities (SDFSC) program. We believe this to be the minimum amount necessary for this critical program to continue serving America's youth with effective drug and violence prevention programming. This amount reflects last year's appropriated amount under the Continuing Resolution. Unfortunately, the President's FY2008 Budget Request recommends cutting this vital program by $255 million.

As you are aware, SDFSC is the federal government's primary initiative to prevent drug use in and around schools. It is currently used by 97% of the nation's school districts and serves more than 37 million youth per year.

There is now a clear link between the academic achievement of our nation's children and the prevention of substance use in schools. The 2002 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse Report entitled Marijuana Among Youths substantiated the connection between substance abuse and academic performance, noting that youths with an average grade of D or below were more than four times as likely to have used marijuana in the past year as youths with an average grade of A. Additionally, a recent study by the University of Washington found that students who use alcohol or other drugs are up to five times more likely to drop out of school.

The SDFSC program is the backbone of youth drug prevention and intervention efforts and has contributed to the 23% decline in youth drug use over the past five years. We have seen in our communities that the SDFSC money is being used effectively and can demonstrate measurable results. Although the Department of Education has not yet collected and reported to Congress the State drug incidence and prevalence data as required in the No Child Left Behind Act (Sections 4116 and 4122) and as directed in the FY 2006 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Report language, many states have exercised due diligence and collected the date and information on their programs. For example:

• Alabama - Reported decreases among sixth to 11th graders in alcohol use, illicit drug use and marijuana use. Among these students, 30 day use of marijuana decreased 1.2%, from 16.8% in 2003 to 16.6% in 2004. Thirty-day alcohol use also decreased among sixth to 11th graders decreased 1.3%, from 45.7% in 2003 to 45.1% in 2004.
• Alaska - Reported a decrease of 54% among Alaska high school students reporting having ever used inhalants from 22.2% in 1995 to 10.2% in 2003. Reported a decrease of 19% among Alaska high school students reporting having had at least one drink of alcohol in the past 30 days from 47.5% in 1995 to 38.7% in 2003.
• Arizona - Reported a 23.3% decrease in the lifetime use of marijuana among 8th greaders from 2002 to 2004. Among 10th and 12th greades lifetime marijuana use went down by 12% and 10% respectively.
• California - Reported a 19.3% decrease in past 30 day use of marijuana among 11th graders, from 23.8% in 2000 to 19.2% in 2006.
• Delaware - Reported a decrease of 16% among high school students reporting over having smoked a cigarette from 74% in 1997 to 62% in 2003.
• Florida - Reported a 35.5% decrease in the number of eighth grade students reporting past 30 day marijuana use, down from 13.8% in 2000 to 8.9% in 2004.
• Georgia - Reported a 20.9% decrease in past 30 day alcohol use among 10th grade students, from 47.4% in 1993 to 37.5% in 2005.
• Hawaii - Reported that the perception of harm associated with the " occasional use of inhalants" among 12th graders was increased by 58% from 48.5% in 1998 to 76.8% in 2002.
• Illinois - Reported a decrease of 16.6% among 8th graders reporting past month use of alcohol from 22.9% in 2000 to 19.1% in 2004
• Indiana - Reported a 19.0% decrease in past 30 day marijuana use among 12th graders, down from 22.7% in 2000 to 18.3% in 2004
• Iowa - Reported a 23.1% decrease in the number of Iowa students who had at least one drink in the last 30 days, from 26% in 1999 to 20% in 2005.
• Kansas - Reported a 32.0% decrease in past 30 day use of marijuana among 10th graders, from 19.4% in 1999 to 13.2% in 2006.
• Kentucky - Reported an increase of 29.5% among 12th graders reporting no lifetime use of marijuana from 44% in 2000 to 57% in 2003
• Maryland - Reported a 30.4% decrease in past 30 day marijuana use among 10th graders, down from 22.4% in 1996 to 15.6% in 2004.
• Maine - Reported a 63.7% decrease in the number of 12th graders reporting lifetime use of meth, from 14.6% in 2000 to 5.3% in 2006.
• Massachusetts- Reported a 10.7% decrease in the number of students in grades 9-12 reporting lifetime use of marijuana, from 50.4% in 2001 to 45.0% in 2005.
• Michigan - Reported a 15% decrease among 12th graders reporting past month use of alcohol from 55% in 2001 to 47% in 2002.
• Minnesota - Reported a 32.7% decrease in the number of 9th grade students reporting lifetime use of alcohol, from 63.7% in 1992 to 42.9% in 2004.
• Nevada - Reported a decrease of 16% among high school students reporting past use of marijuana from 26.6% in 2001 to 22.3% in 2003.
• New Hampshire - Reported an increase of 9.7% in the number of 11th graders reporting an increased perception of harm for using marijuana, from 62.6% in 2003 to 68.7% in 2005
• New Mexico - Reported that the number of high school students reporting past 30 day use of methamphetamines decreased 37%, from 7.3% in 2003 to 4.6% in 2005.
• New York - Reported a 22.4% decrease among students reporting past 30 day use of marijuana from 26.7% in 2001 to 20.7% in 2003.
• North Dakota - Reported a 25.9% decrease in past 30 day use of alcohol among 7th and 8th graders, down from 22.8% in 1995 to 16.9% in 2003.
• Ohio - Reported that the percentage of youth in graders six through eight who reported using illegal drugs at least once during the past year declined by 21%, from 14.9% in 1998-99 school year to 11.7% in 2002.
• Oklahoma - Reported that the number of 6th, 8th, 10th, and 12th graders who have used marijuana in the past 30 days decreased 18.8%, from 9.6% in 2004 to 7.8% in 2006.
• Oregon - Reported a 19.9% decrease in the number of 11th grade students reporting lifetime use of marijuana, from 56.4% in 1986 to 45.2% in 2003.
• Pennsylvania - The number of 10th grade students reporting past 30 day use of marijuana decreased 29.4%, from 17.0% in 2001 to 12.0% in 2005.
• South Dakota - Reported that the number of students in grades 9-12 reporting that they had 5 or more drinks of alcohol in a row, within a couple of hours, on 1 or more of the past 30 days decreased 24.8%, from 45.2% in 1997 to 34% in 2005.
• Utah - Reported that the number of 7th through 12th graders who reported using marijuana in the last 30 days decreased 53%, from 11.8% in 1984 to 5.5% in 2003.
• Washington - Reported that among 8th graders, past 30 day use of marijuana decreased 23.3%, from 12% in 2000 to 9.2% in 2004
• Wisconsin - Reported that the number of 12th graders reporting lifetime use of inhalants has decreased 28.9%, from 14.5% in 2001 to 10.3% in 2003.

For many children, schools serve as one of the only sources of information about the harms of drug use. The costs associated with drug, alcohol and tabacco abuse add 10 percent - or $41 billion - to the already strained budgets of schools across the nation and have a devastating impact on the educational performance of students. We understand the tremendous fiscal constraints faced by your subcommittee this year, but given the essential role the Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities state grant program plays in youth drug prevention, we ask that its funding be a priority as the appropriations process proceeds.

Thank you fro considering our views and please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

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