The Michigan Daily-Wednesday, May 2, 1979-Page 13
HEW tofight alcoholism in women, youths
WASHINGTON (AP) - Millions of
women and teen-agers whose drinking
problems often are overlooked or
ignored will be the target of a new
government drive against alcohol
abuse.
Health, Education and Welfare
(HEW) Secretary Joseph Califano, Jr.,
unveiled plans yesterday to seek $22
million for research, training, preven-
tion, and treatment efforts aimed at
those two groups.
Califano said he wanted to dispel the
myth that alcoholism cannot be treated
and that the typical problem drinker
is a middle-aged man headed for Skid
Row."
AN ESTIMATED nine million to 10
million American adults have drinking
problems, or seven per cent of the en-
tire population, and two million of them
are women, often elderly women,
Califano said. And more than three
million youths have experienced
problems at home, school or on the
highways from bouts with drinking.
"The problem is not 'out there', it is
in our midst. It touches virtually every
American neighborhood, every office,
every family," Califano told the
National Council on Alcoholism. "This
problem does not just live on Skid Row,
it lives on Main Street."
He recited estimates from HEW's
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and
Alcoholism in a report to Congress last
fall that drinking kills 100,000
Americans and costs society more than
$40 billion annually.
HEWS ALCOHOLISM agency
already has a budget of $118 million. It-
new $22 million drive would include:
* Funding for new treatment
programs for women, who have been
under-represented in traditional
programs geared to men.
" More warnings to the 48 million
American women of child-bearing age
about the danger of excessive drinking
during pregnancy.
" HEW will consider expanding
Medicare and Medicaid coverage for
alcoholism treatment, and will fund $1
million in demonstration projects to
provide treatment outside of hospitals.
* The surgeon general and the Food
and Drug Administration will issue new
warnings about the dangers of mixing
alcohol with certain drugs.
* Special prevention projects will be
aimed at 750,000 youngsters with the
help of the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and
other groups.
Sleep aid ingredient may
WASHINGTON (AP) - The gover- National Cancer Institute (NCI).
nment indicated yesterday it may soon
ban the active ingredient commonly AMONG THE over-the-counter drugs
used in non-prescription sleep aids containing methapyrilene are Compoz,
following an expert panel's finding that Cope, Excedrin P.M., Nervine, Nytol,
the ingredient is a potent carcinogen in Quiet World, and Sominex.
animals and "a potential human The Food and Drug Administration
hazard." (FDA), last year proposed that the
The panel of the Clearinghouse on chemical be removed from sleep aids,
Environmental Carcinogens concluded but never put the ban into effect, said
the substance, methapyrilene, caused the findings of the study would be con-
liver cancer in one laboratory study sidered when they are submitted in
and already has been responsible for writing.
the deaths of nearly a fifth of the rats in FDA spokesman Wayne Pines said,
another test still in progress. "When we see the data that were
The tests are sponsored by the presented today, we will evaluate them
" With the help of the alcohol
beverage industry, a new publicity
campaign will be launched urging the
40 million Americans aged 15 to 24 not
to drive after drinking.
His praise for the industry is in sharp
contrast to his frequent attacks on
cigarette manufacturers for adver-
tising he contends is geared to convince
youngsters to start smoking.
Califano quit smoking four years ago,
but he is a social drinker.
be banned
quicky." He added that if the agency
concludes methapyrilene poses a health
hazard, the agency will take "ap-
propriate action" to remove it from all
products.
THE PROPRIETARY Association, the
trade association representing the
manufacturers of non-prescription
medicines, said in a statement:
"The ... manufacturers are confident
that methapyrilene is safe at recom-
mended doses in man. They are, never-
theless, examining NCI animal tests
together with other scientific evidence
and will act according to that evidence
and in the public interest."
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SPEED READING
Cut your reading time. Get out from
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Enrollment is open to all University
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Improve your grades by learning
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WRITER'S
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The workshop offers 3 areas of in-
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2) Basic Skills Lab-individualized
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HOW MUCH?
$25.00
(payable by. check only)
(We folow *u of M
refund policy)
WHEN?
Registration
Today & Tomorrow
8:00 AM-4:00 PM
WHERE?
1610 Washtenaw Ave.,
Ann Arbor
(near Hill St.)
Phone:764-9481
The University of Michigan
READING and LEARNING SKILLS CENTER
Y i.aRowena Wilhelm, Ph.DDirector
.-p - - "> > r> Y n . i F R ... .. . . L " . . . . . x3r iA3
The University of Michigan
Reading& Leaming
Skills Center
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