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State Stix



World drug trade


World's largest business.
$300 billion a year.
40 million customers.
Source: World Press Review, May 1988.


Just say 'no'

10-20 percent of the profits from the drug trade goes to producer countries that are often poor and burdened by heavy foreign debt.

10 percent goes into the trafficking network to be reinvested in laboratories, vehicles and weapons.

The remaining 70-80 percent goes to the consuming countries and to the tax shelters of the world banking system.

Source: World Press Review, May 1988.


Before we start talking about crack

"The economic and social problems and costs of alcohol are greater than the economic and social costs of all other drug abuse combined, including both illegal drugs and prescription drugs."

Source: Jim Long, executive director, Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association (IADDA).


Illinois substance abuse

An estimated 800,000 adults (10 percent of the state's adult population) are problem drinkers or alcoholics.

About 100,000 adults are drug abusers.

Approximately 100,000 of the state's 1.5 million youths aged 10-17 need intervention and some kind of treatment for alcohol and/or drug abuse right now. Of these, about 35 percent have the ability to pay.

Two-thirds of the people getting treatment for cocaine abuse are under 30; for marijuana abuse, two-thirds are under 21.

Source: State of the State: Alcohol and Drug Problems in Illinois, IADDA, February 1988.


At any point in time in Illinois

1,000 people are waiting for a place in a drug and/or alcohol abuse treatment program.
Source: Same as above.


Newborn babies

Reports of drug-affected infants (mostly crack and other forms of cocaine) have increased nearly sixfold in Illinois since 1985. Statewide, 1,233 such infants were reported in Fiscal Year 1988, an increase of 132 percent over the prior fiscal year. Cook County accounted for 1,094 of these children.

Source: Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.


The 'cocaine baby' hotline

1-800-327-BABE.

It's been in operation for about a year and a half. About 2,000 people have called.

In one Chicago hospital 16 percent of the births were "cocaine babies," but the problem isn't limited to the cities. A survey of 36 hospitals across the nation, including suburban hospitals serving middle class patients, showed that 1 in 10 pregnant women had used illegal drugs, mostly cocaine.

Source: Dr. Ira J. Chesnoff, Perinatal Center for Chemical Dependence, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago.


Relapse rates at the perinatal center's outpatient program

60 percent of the women relapse within six months after they have their babies. They need a residential program where they can get drug abuse treatment without having to leave their children.

Source: Same as above.


Abused children

The Department of Children and Family Services found there was suspicion of alcohol or drug abuse in 48 percent of the familes involved in its service caseload (neglect and abuse serious enough for the juvenile court to intervene). Only 32 percent of those referred, however, actually got treatment.

Source: State of the State: Alcohol and Drug Problems in Illinois.


Nonviolent offenders screened for and placed in treatment for substance abuse in fiscal year 1988

ScreenedPlaced
Male:88%Male:86%
Black:45%Black:38%
White:49%White:56%
Hispanic:5%Hispanic:4%

Treatment Alternatives for Special Clients (TASC) screens and makes treatment referrals for nonviolent offenders with drug and alcohol problems as an alternative to prison. It is currently investigating the above statistics to determine why fewer minority offenders were placed. (TASC also works with juvenile offenders and Public Aid recipients with substance abuse problems.)

Source: TASC, Chicago office.


Inequitable access for minorities

At least 1 million African-American and Spanish-speaking lllinoisans are unable to find drug and alcohol abuse treatment in their communities.
Source: State of the State: Alcohol and Drug Problems in Illinois.


Symptoms of generating $100 billion a year by drug money investment

Heavy suitcases on offshore flights.

Windows of opportunity in financial services tax law, real estate, government, etc.

And — an economy that just keeps trucking along in spite of stock market jitters, deficits and deep pockets of unemployment.

Source: "Who Profits from Drugs?" Frontline, PBS, February 21, 1989.


General funds

The general funds end-of-month balance in February was $252,719 million; the average daily available balance was $339.875 million.
Source: Office of the Comptroller.


Record high employment; unemployment hits 10-year low

February's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in the U.S. was 5.1 percent, down from 5.4 percent in January. In Illinois it was 5.2 percent, considerably lower than January's 5.9 percent and a 10-year low.

The state's labor force in February was 5.976 million people with 5.663 million holding down jobs — a record high on both counts. The number of people looking for work dropped to 313,000 from 346,000 last month.

All sectors of the state's economy, except the mining sector, which has been faced with recession and layoffs, were doing much better than last year, and this added up to an overall improvement in employment figures.

Final unemployment rates in the state's metro areas were:

    Aurora-Elgin, 5.4 percent.
    Bloomington-Normal, 5.6 percent
    Champaign-Urbana-Rantoul, 4.2 percent
    Chicago, 5.5 percent.
    Davenport. Rock Island, Moline (Illinois sector), 7.6 percent.
    Decatur, 7.3 percent.
    Joliet, 6.9 percent.
    Kankakee, 8.2 percent.
    Lake County, 4.2 percent.
    Peoria, 6.3 percent.
    Rockford, 6.3 percent.
    Springfield, 5.2 percent.
    St. Louis (Illinois sector), 8.1 percent
    Source: Illinois Department of Employment Security.

Margaret S. Knoepfle


April 1989 | Illinois Issues | 8


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