RECOVERING ADDICT URGES TREATING ABUSE AS DISEASE

William Moyers, who describes himself as a recovering alcoholic, says
Oklahoma must start treating substance abuse as a disease -- a less- costly
option for society. Moyers, who works for a treatment facility in
Minnesota, said each Oklahoma taxpayer spends $277 a year to deal with
substance abuse. "Only 10 bucks of that is for prevention and treatment,"
he said.

"Substance abuse is the root of all of Oklahoma's and the nation's
problems," Moyers said several times during a speech to about 200 substance
abuse professionals and state leaders gathered Thursday at the Governor's
Pavilion.

"Most of the 21,000 people you have locked up here in Oklahoma have a
problem with alcohol or drugs," he said.

Moyers travels across the country talking about addiction and recovery. He
works for the Hazelden Foundation, where he said he went for treatment nine
years ago.

Moyers applauded the Oklahoma Legislature for granting parity in treatment
of the mentally ill, but urged providers to lobby lawmakers to approve
parity for substance abuse.

A few years ago, state legislators passed a law requiring companies with
more than 50 employees to provide insurance for those receiving treatment
for mental illness.

"I am an alcoholic; I am a drug addict," Moyers said. "It started not long
after I innocently experimented with marijuana in 1975 when I was a
teenager growing up in the quiet suburbs on Long Island, New York."

His father, Bill Moyers, was publisher of Newsday on Long Island. Bill
Moyers was born in Hugo, his son said. Also at the conference were Gov.
Brad Henry and Lt. Gov. Mary Fallin, who said it costs $16,000 a year to
incarcerate a prisoner in Oklahoma, while it costs $5,000 to sentence them
through drug courts to treatment in the community.