(1)The general assembly finds that:
(a)Each year Colorado spends significant amounts of money related to
untreated substance abuse. The magnitude of public funds spent on the direct and
indirect consequences of substance use and abuse is staggering, and dozens of
Colorado public agencies play a part in controlling substance use or dealing with its
consequences.
(b)Deaths in Colorado related to the abuse of prescription opioids, such as
oxycodone, hydrocodone, and fentanyl, nearly doubled from one hundred eighty in
2000 to three hundred forty-three in 2010;
(c)Children whose parents abuse alcohol or drugs are three times more
likely to be verbally, physically, or sexually abused and four times more likely than
other children to be neglected. Additionally, research indicates t
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(1) The general assembly finds that:
(a) Each year Colorado spends significant amounts of money related to
untreated substance abuse. The magnitude of public funds spent on the direct and
indirect consequences of substance use and abuse is staggering, and dozens of
Colorado public agencies play a part in controlling substance use or dealing with its
consequences.
(b) Deaths in Colorado related to the abuse of prescription opioids, such as
oxycodone, hydrocodone, and fentanyl, nearly doubled from one hundred eighty in
2000 to three hundred forty-three in 2010;
(c) Children whose parents abuse alcohol or drugs are three times more
likely to be verbally, physically, or sexually abused and four times more likely than
other children to be neglected. Additionally, research indicates that children in
families affected by substance use are at an increased risk for substance use and
mental health issues in adolescence. The health, safety, and future success of
drug-endangered children are pressing issues in Colorado.
(d) Substance use by youth is detrimental to brain maturation, impacting
brain structure, functioning, and neurocognition;
(e) Substance use during pregnancy places children at direct risk for
complications, including premature delivery, altered neonatal behavior patterns
such as abnormal reflexes and extreme irritability, congenital deformities, low birth
weight, attention deficit disorder, and prenatal and postnatal neglect, many of
which cause lifelong defects; and
(f) Each year Colorado spends significant moneys related to untreated
substance abuse.
(2) The general assembly further finds that substance abuse, including that
related to illicit drugs, prescription drugs, underage marijuana use, and
methamphetamine labs and abuse, harms citizens of Colorado. Responses to
substance abuse should be supported in the criminal justice system, the public
health system, mental health services, social services, child welfare and youth
services, community task forces, and with treatment for parents who abuse drugs
and prevention and treatment for children affected by substance abuse and
nonfederally regulated pharmaceutical drug production and distribution, and other
systems affected by substance abuse.
(3) The general assembly, therefore, determines and declares that it is
necessary to change the state methamphetamine task force into a substance abuse
trend and response task force to:
(a) Examine drug trends and the most effective models and practices for:
(I) The prevention of and intervention into substance abuse;
(II) The prevention of unintended harmful exposures due to nonfederal-drug-administration-regulated pharmaceutical drug production and distribution;
(III) The prevention of potential negative public health impacts due to
improper dispensing, management, and disposal of drugs; and
(IV) The treatment of children and adults affected by substance use
disorders;
(b) Formulate a response to current and emerging substance use disorder
problems from the criminal justice, prevention, and treatment sectors, including the
use of drop-off treatment services, mobile and walk-in crisis centers, and
withdrawal management programs, rather than continued criminal justice
involvement for offenders of low-level drug offenses; and
(c) Make recommendations to the general assembly for the development of
statewide strategies and legislative proposals related to these issues. The
recommendations made to the general assembly shall be made in coordination with
the task force and the department of human services, the agency responsible for
the administration of behavioral health programs and services.