Funding Substance Abuse Programs
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Posted: 3:07 PM Feb 28, 2010
Funding Substance Abuse Programs
When the proposal to raise West Virginia's beer tax fizzled, it was no defeat for the bill's chief advocate.
Reporter: The Associated Press
Email Address: News@wsaz.com
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CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) -- When the proposal to raise West Virginia's beer tax fizzled, it was no defeat for the bill's chief advocate.

Delegate Don Perdue knew all along the bill had little chance of passage. But he wanted to create support for finding funds to pay for substance abuse programs.

In place of a tax hike to fund those programs, Perdue proposed using money from a $347 million Medicaid reserve fund, and the lawmakers on his committee agreed.

It was a savvy legislative move that advanced his bill but has run into trouble with Governor Joe Manchin.

Manchin says the Medicaid money will be needed in the next few years. He doesn't want the Legislature to send him Perdue's bill.

Latest Comments

Posted by: won't on Mar 1, 2010 at 10:27 PM

Substance abuse programs that don't entail keeping the patient locked up away from society won't work. As soon as a drug addict gets with prior friends or takes one drug he's gonna be on the run. So consider the money started to enroll patient in program, then the cost of hunting down the fugitive which won't be priority unless he/she is convicted of a felony which so many times the drug thingy is plead down to a misdemeanor. Especially drug addicts who have went in people's homes, assaulted people, stole their identity - they should not be considered for the substance abuse program, it won't hold them. YES I'm sure being in prison does make a person hard - but likewise there are success stories of people who have learned a lesson.
Posted by: Ashley on Mar 1, 2010 at 11:49 AM

I'm still not sure why some people think it's logical to tax things that are "bad for you". Since when is sin tax ok????? For that matter, obesity kills more people than cigarettes and alcohal combined. By your logic, shouldn't we be taxing everything but fruits and veggies to the nines?????
Posted by: kw on Mar 1, 2010 at 10:10 AM

When you look at the BIGGER picture here people: When someone gets convicted of a substance abuse-related crime, they can either be thrown in jail/prison (our tax dollars paying their way) ~OR~ they can provide them with government funded rehab programs. We all know what prison does to a person. . we've seen the TLC specials. Why not heal them instead of hurt them more
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