But I am heartened to hear that Mr. Bush appears to understand and relate to what I was saying. In the past, he has spoken publicly about having quit drinking not long after his 40 th birthday. He indicates that he was simply sick and tired of being sick and tired. My brief exchange with the President underscores the importance of standing up and speaking out on addiction and recovery issues. We also put a human face not just on the problems caused by alcoholism and drug dependence, but highlight the power and possibility of recovery.
Addiction is an equal opportunity and a bi-partisan illness.
As a nation, we should take a bi-partisan approach to making sure everyone as an equal opportunity to recover from this illness too. At the Johnson Institute, our efforts are focused on removing obstacles that keep people and families from recovering from the problems caused by addiction to alcohol and other drugs. This means fostering a better understanding by the public about this illness, who is vulnerable and the impact it has on all of society. It means promoting avenues into recovery through professional and effective treatment programs. Finally, the Johnson Institute is committed to promoting the power and possibility of recovery.