WASHINGTON --- Senator Chuck Grassley today received the 2009 Guardian Award from The Partnership for a Drug-Free America for his leadership on substance abuse issues.        

            “Parents talking to their kids about the dangers of drug use is the most influential way to keep kids off drugs.  I’d like to thank the Partnership for a Drug-Free America for this award, and for all their hard work to provide parents with the resources to talk to their kids about drugs,” Grassley said. “Working together, we can help save our kids from throwing their hopes, dreams and lives away by using drugs.”

            The Partnership for a Drug-Free America presents the Guardian Award annually to members of the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate who exemplify the spirit of their mission.

Grassley has long been a leader in the fight against illegal drugs and substance abuse. He led the effort to pass the Combat Meth Act which limits the amount of meth precursor drugs – such as pseudoephedrine – that a customer can buy and requires pharmacies to keep written or electronic logbooks recording each purchase of the drugs. The approach was based off successful state laws in Iowa and Oklahoma and has led to a drop in the number of meth labs discovered in many other states. He has also worked to raise awareness about the rising abuse of prescription and over-the-counter drugs across the country.

            For nearly 20 years, the Partnership for a Drug-Free America has motivated parents to prevent their children from using drugs and alcohol, intervene when drug and alcohol use is present, and find help for family and friends in trouble.  Research done by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America revealed a 16 percent increase in the number of teens who reported learning a lot about the risks of drugs from their parents.  Research consistently show that teens who learn a lot about the risks of drugs at home are up to 50 percent less likely to use. The Partnership for a Drug-Free America’s website, www.drugfree.org, provides current research on teen behavior, addiction and treatment and connects parent with expert advice and support that provides easy to understand tips and tools.