Johnson highlights bill to require education on substance abuse

State Senator Terry Johnson (R-McDermott) this week announced the introduction and first hearing of Senate Bill 205, which will help combat Ohio’s continuing drug epidemic by requiring annual, age-appropriate instruction to children in Ohio’s public schools regarding the harms of illicit substances such as marijuana, methamphetamines, opioids, alcohol, tobacco and e-cigarettes. 

Senator Johnson introduced this bill in December, drawing from his extensive experience as a physician in the field of addiction medicine, and provided sponsor testimony on Tuesday in the Senate Education Committee.

“Despite hundreds of millions of dollars spent by the state on treatment and prevention, thousands of Ohioans die each year from accidental drug poisonings. This statistic is unacceptable, and should motivate our state to focus on diminishing the demand for drugs,” said Johnson. "We can start this process by teaching children early, appropriately, and regularly that the use of illicit substances is deeply harmful to their health. We are long past due in putting a singular focus on prevention.”

Senate Bill 205 also directs the Department of Education and Workforce, in collaboration with the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, to create a list of best practices in curricula, materials, programs and instructional strategies in order to assist school districts in meeting this requirement. An important part of this effort will be data gathering to evaluate the efficacy of each program.

Read more about Senate Bill 205 at https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/135/sb205.

Senator Johnson represents the 14th District in the Ohio Senate, which encompasses all of Adams, Brown, Clermont and Scioto counties. Learn more at www.OhioSenate.gov/Johnson.