McCaffrey Showcases Targeted Treatment for Drug Abusers

(Cannabis Youth Treatment Experiment cited as a model)  (310)
By Lucas Henderson
Washington File Staff Writer 

Washington -- The U.S. government's Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Services Administration (SAMHSA) launched its eleventh annual
Alcohol/Drug Addiction Recovery month with a host of speakers that
included General Barry McCaffrey, director of the White House Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP).

The September 7 press conference, co-sponsored by the Center for
Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT), also showcased the preliminary
findings of the Cannabis Youth Treatment Experiment.

The experiment is one of the first national initiatives mandated to
develop a targeted approach to combating drug abuse; its preliminary
findings validated five effective treatment models for combating the
abuse of cannabis or marijuana.

The models utilize a gamut of psychological methods including
motivational enhancement and cognitive-behavioral therapies, ranging
in length from five to twelve weeks. According to Dr. Michael Dennis,
who presided over the research project, the models were developed with
the express purpose of being practical, effective, and easily
duplicable for a national audience of mental health practitioners. He
reported that, overall, the five new models were more effective than
conventional methods for combating marijuana abuse.

In his opening remarks, McCaffrey cited recent statistics that show a
reduction in domestic drug abuse. At the same time, he acknowledged
that despite a positive aggregate trend, the current addiction rates
for individuals within the 18-25 age group remain unacceptable.
Consequently, he emphasized the need for targeted methods of
treatment. Echoing a similar message, Nelba Chavez, the administrator
of the SAMHSA, suggested that drug abuse treatment programs should be
"developmentally and culturally appropriate" for specific demographic
categories.

(The Washington File is a product of the Office of International
Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site:
http://usinfo.state.gov)