Michigan Awarded $11M to "Break the Cycle" of Substance Abuse
Conyers Praises Efforts to Boost Youth Protection, Drug Treatment and Prevention

Washington, DC - Congressman John Conyers announced his support today for last week's $11 million Justice Department grant to the Michigan Office of Drug Control Policy. The grant comes as part of the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program, which allows localities to prevent and control crime based on their own needs and conditions.

"As a community, we have a responsibility to those who are caught up in the cycle of substance abuse," Conyers said. "My hope is that this grant will help us live up to our duty to help restore the lives of these individuals and protect our youth from falling victim to the trap of substance use."

The Michigan Office of Drug Control Policy seeks to (1) protect youth from substance abuse and related violence, (2) reduce the demand for and harmful effects of alcohol and other drugs, (3) reduce the supply of drugs, (4) and restore dignity to people affected by these substances.

"There are effective, compassionate ways to deal with substance abuse, and there are callous, political ways to do the same," Conyers said. "More treatment and more intervention, not more prison, is the answer."

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