Pubdate: Mon, 29 Sep 2003
Source: Orange County Register, The (CA)
Copyright: 2003 The Orange County Register
Contact:  http://www2.ocregister.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/321
Cited: Office of National Drug Control Policy (www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov )
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/campaign.htm (ONDCP Media Campaign)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/opinion.htm (Opinion)

THE DRUG WAR'S BAD ADS

The U.S. Senate this week has a chance to end or reduce one of the more 
wasteful programs the federal government conducts. Tucked in a wide-ranging 
appropriation bill is an administration request for $170 million for the 
White House Office of National Drug Control Policy to continue its National 
Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign. This boondoggle richly deserves to be ended.

You are probably familiar with those annoying ads that dramatize the 
dangers of illicit drugs. The best evidence is that the ads have no effect 
on drug use.

The relevant Senate committee - Transportation, Treasury and General 
Government - has recognized this already. It noted earlier this year: "When 
this program was initially funded by the Congress in fiscal year 1998, it 
was with the understanding that within three years there would be 
demonstrable behavior changes in America's youth with relation to drug use. 
The committee is concerned that drug use is increasing in spite of the 
national media campaign, leading some observers to conclude it has not had 
a noticeable impact on drug use among America' youth."

That puts it all too kindly. The program has been a disaster.

According to the Parents Resource Institute for Drug Education (PRIDE) 
survey in September, past-year use of marijuana was up among all youngsters 
in grades 6 through 12, except for a 0.1 percentage-point decline among 
10th-graders. Both annual and past-month use of cocaine, heroin and 
methamphetamine has increased markedly.

This can't all be blamed on the "drug czar's" media campaign, of course. 
But an independent evaluation of the program by the University of 
Pennsylvania and the research firm Westat found "no evidence" of any 
positive impact and preliminary signs that the program actually encouraged 
teen-agers to try drugs.

The Senate should just end this boondoggle immediately.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens