Kaptur: Director of National Drug Control Policy Designates Lorain County as High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, October 13, 2016
Contact: Nicole Dailey Jones (Kaptur), (202) 225-4146 & (202) 225-5411 or Marcy.KapturPress@mail.house.gov

Kaptur: Director of National Drug Control Policy Designates Lorain County as High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area
Designation will allow County to receive Federal resources to further drug control efforts among law enforcement officials

Lorain, OH — Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-9) today joined the Director of National Drug Control Policy under the Executive Office of the President to announce the designation of 18 additional counties in nine states as High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTAs), including Lorain County, Ohio. Eleven of the counties are in states that are part of the HIDTA Heroin Response Strategy, and this designation enables the newly named 18 counties to receive Federal resources in the future to further the coordination and development of drug control efforts among Federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement officials.

“Our communities have been struggling with the heroin epidemic for too long, and this designation for Lorain County is an important step forward in the coordination of efforts to address this public health crisis,” said Rep. Kaptur. “I am pleased the Administration recognizes that the response to this public health crisis isn’t a single-layer issue that will be fixed with one solution. There are pieces that need to come together and we can best do this by listening to the needs and experiences of local communities.”

“Being accepted in the HIDTA initiative is extremely positive and important,” said Lorain County Sheriff Phil R. Stammitti. “This allows Lorain County to join forces with our Federal partners and other participating agencies to share resources, personnel and equipment to better enhance joint investigations for the disruption and dismantling of drug trafficking and money laundering organizations.”

“The High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program is an important part of this Administration’s work to expand community-based efforts to prevent drug use, pursue ‘smart on crime’ approaches to drug enforcement, work to reduce overdose deaths, increase access to treatment, and support millions of Americans in recovery” said Michael Botticelli, Director of National Drug Control Policy. “To fully address the crisis, however, Congress must act to provide funding to make lifesaving treatment available to everyone who seeks it. The President has called for $1.1 billion in new funding for States to help expand access to treatment. Every day that passes without Congressional action to provide these additional resources is a missed opportunity to save lives.”

Rep. Kaptur was a co-sponsor of the of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA), and, as a senior appropriator, advocated for increased funds and the inclusion of heroin connected directives to agencies within the purview of the appropriations process. Additionally, as a member of the Bipartisan Task Force to Combat the Heroin Epidemic, Rep. Kaptur co-sponsored both comprehensive and narrow efforts to address a range of aspects of the epidemic, including adequate and targeted funding, emergency response, education, and prevention.

For information about the Office of National Drug Control Policy visit: www.whitehouse.gov/ONDCP

For information on the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program visit: www.whitehouse.gov/ondcp/high-intensity-drug-trafficking-areas-program
For information on the Lorain County Sheriff’s Office visit: http://www.loraincountysheriff.com/

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