Pubdate: Fri, 13 Aug 2004 Source: Herald-Sun, The (Durham, NC) Copyright: 2004 The Herald-Sun Contact: http://www.herald-sun.com Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1428 Author: Hunter Lewis Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?225 (Students - United States) OFFICIAL: U.S. HAS NOT LOST WAR AGAINST DRUGS DURHAM -- Tad Davis of the National Drug Control Policy Office says America has not lost the war on drugs. "Forty-six percent of our overall drug policy budget goes towards treatment,'" Davis said. "Our strategy has evolved." He spoke Friday to parents at a conference at N.C. Central University. Other countries spend more on treatment, Davis said. But the federal government's acknowledgment of drug addiction as a disease has shifted the focus of the national drug control strategy to a three-pronged attack: prevention, treatment and reduction. Davis, acting deputy director for demand control, said marijuana is the top substance being used by children and adolescents in the state. Too many children buy into the "myths" of the drug, he said. "The kids kind of get the sense that what they see on TV and in the media -- they're not clear that there's something wrong with smoking marijuana," he said. But it's 30 percent more potent now than two decades ago, he added. The agency also is concerned about the abuse of prescription drugs, the rise of methamphetamine use and inhalants, in addition to drugs such as heroin and cocaine, he said. Davis said the national drug control policy launched two efforts to curb child and adolescent drug use: drug testing of students and TV commercials. While the ACLU and other groups question random drug testing of high school athletes and students involved in other extra-curricular activities, Davis said the $2 million pilot program in 78 schools has been effective. The agency has requested another $23 million from Congress to expand the testing. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin