COP on the Hill: Stories from the week of September 2, 2016

COP on the Hill:

Let’s talk about Heroin:

To prepare for our luncheon, I had been studying my German & French non-stop for two weeks. The purpose of the visit was to 1) establish a relationship with Catherine. 2) demonstrate my knowledge of German, French and the Swiss HAT program and 3) learn all the latest changes and improvements in the program…My wife Karen and I met Catherine Ritter of the Swiss Federal Health Ministry at a café in Geneva. When Karen needed a personal moment, we had a five (5) minute chat in German. I asked if the Swiss Govt was still willing to send a three (3) person team to the US Congress, if formally invited. She hesitated not and confirmed the offer of eight (8) years ago was still valid. NOTE: the team would consist of an MD who runs a heroin treatment clinic, a police officer and a federal, health bureaucrat/manager.

After our 90 minute meeting and lunch, we strolled about 8 minutes to the Geneva facility which handles 460 patients who are addicted to heroin. Catherine’s colleague joined us and we spent the next two (2) hours receiving a deluxe tour and explanation en français of how the Swiss treat their citizens who become addicted to heroin. Karen was our unofficial photographer.

This being my third visit to a clinic (2001 and 2008), I learned of the latest, minor changes in procedure and approaches. The largest was the introduction of a slow-release (24 hour) morphine pill which patients are using instead of pure heroin. I don’t pretend to understand the science/medicine, rather I was just becoming aware of the Swiss always trying to improve their already life-saving approach to this nasty drug.

Karen and I spent that night in France in a house built around 1500 – très romantique..As this was part of the our second honeymoon, it was the least I could do after taking her to a heroin clinic, n’est-ce pas?

NOTE to COP donors: this meeting cost COP only a lunch, a motel & parking. Karen and I were in the area as part of our vacation.

This week’s stats:

2 meetings

COP stats since inception: August 2009

2244 Presentations to Congressional staffers.. this week
134 personal chats with a Member of Congress.. this week
203 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc. 0 this week
14 interviews and reports in minor media = this week.
67 Radio Interviews.. 00 this week
84 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $83,000).. 0 this week
42 published interviews/foto in major (daily) newspapers or magazine… 0 this week
62 Appearances/Interviews on major TV/Radio/Print media..This week (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision, BBC, CNN, NPR)…02 this week (NBC twice)
24 major conferences attended – (United Nations drug conf, CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions., National Review, etc) 0this week
* 2 editorials in daily papers mentioning Howard’s efforts & in support of COP position
Weekly attendance at Grover Norquist’s Wednesday brunch attended by 150 conservative leaders. Named the “Grand Central Station of the Conservative Movement.”
* Consider being a member of COP at $30.00 or more per year. All contributions are tax-deductible. 30 dollars buys all the copy paper COP uses in one year. Law Enforcement’s voice in opposition to current policy is vital on the Hill to achieve a repeal of federal prohibition. COP provides that voice. www.citizensopposingprohibition.org