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Here is a transcript of a tv session: (July 20,
1999 )
Bob Levey: As you've said so often, the vast majority
of the country opposes legalization of drugs. But why
doesn't everybody? It's crystal clear that legalizing
drugs would debase people, tempt children and make it
much more likely that the guy next to me on the Beltway
is stoned. What's so hard to see here?
Barry McCaffrey: There are 270 million Americans
and the overwhelming majority of us don't use drugs. Unfortunately
about 6% of the population does and that equates to 13
million people. This group suffers enormously and causes
great damage to communities across America. 52,000 people
a year die from this scourge and the economic loss is
$110 billion a year. We won't legalize Schedule 1 drugs.
It simply won't happen. Too many parents, pediatricians,
employers, coaches, drug treatment experts and educators
know that this would be a nutty option causing even greater
damage to American life. We should trust in the good judgement
of the American people.
Fairfax, VA: Gen. McCaffrey,
I have numerous family members that reside in Colombia
who live in constant fear of being kidnapped by Marxist
rebels who use drug money and ransom payments to support
their crusade. How closely linked are the drug trade and
these terrorist rebel groups? Will eradicating coca production
in Colombia get rid of the problem?
Barry McCaffrey: Colombia is facing a tragic emergency
with massive internal attack by 15,000-plus FARC Narco-guerrillas,
5,000-plus ELN Narco-guerrillas and 5,000 or more so-called
para-military criminals, all of whom are financed by massive
infusions of cash from the drug trade ($600 million+).
The violence and corruption pose a corrosive menace to
every Democratic institution of society. President Pastrana
and his Administration are beleaguered and trying to confront
drug criminal organizations, internal terrorism, a disaster
in the economy and a population grown sick of constant,
mindless violence. We are actively working to support
Colombian leadership with resources, political support
and regional cooperation. Colombia is the source of 80%
of the drugs (cocaine and heroin) that come into America.
We should support Colombia, not only because they are
a traditional ally and an important economic partner,
but because it's in our absolute self-interest.
Fairfax, VA: Mr. McCaffrey,
It seems like kids are getting valuable anti-drug messages
through the ONDCP ads I've seen on TV and other programs.
How can parents help you really turn the drug problem
around so that we can get drug use to stop in this country?
Barry McCaffrey: 80% of American youngsters between
the ages 12 to 17 have never touched an illegal drug.
They leave the sixth grade strongly opposed to smoking,
alcohol abuse and illegal drugs. Our superb DARE program
certainly is a key to this healthy state of affairs. However,
we have a serious problem. Children encounter and begin
using drugs in middle school years. By the time they are
high school seniors, roughly half of them have experimented
with an illegal drug and one out of four are past-month
users. In the last two years, we have seen evidence that
the prior increase in drug, alcohol and cigarette use
has finally been arrested and indeed has shown statistically
significant, but minor decreases. The heart and soul of
the prevention effort is what parents tell their children
about drug use. The message must be coherent and scientifically
valid from kindergarten to the 12th grade that "in our
family, in our school, in this workplace, we don't use
drugs."
Roselle, IL: You have repeatedly said that
"the drug war" is a poor metaphor, and that we should
think as drug problems as cancer. Yet, your whole career
has been in the military. If it's really not a war, and
it's a medical problem, shouldn't a doctor be leading
the fight, not a soldier?
Barry McCaffrey: The problem of drug abuse in
America is one of monumental proportions (Each year 52,000
dead, a third of all industrial accidents, a third of
all AIDS cases, $110 billion in economic loss. Columbia
University data also suggests that 50-80% of the 1.8 million
behind bars have a drug or alcohol related problem.)
Many of us believe that we can more effectively organize
our conceptual thinking about this issue by using the
metaphor of a cancer affecting American communities. The
drug issue is a medical concern of huge proportions, a
criminal justice issue of great consequence, an international
affairs issue involving massive threat to Democratic institutions
and a social issue involving educators, parents and local
law enforcement. The metaphor of cancer allows us to focus
on prevention and treatment as the central components
of our strategy. However, we still believe that strong
law enforcement is vital to our effort.
My contributions are intended to focus on the organization
of our federal effort among the 14 Cabinet officers who
deal with some aspect of this issue. In addition, I act
as the point of contact for NGO's, local and state government,
the international community and community coalitions.
My background of public service involves a lot of experience
in public and international policy. It's also relevant
that I spent my entire life successfully dealing with
young Americans. I'm very proud to be associated with
my principal partners Janet Reno, Donna Shalala, and Dick
Riley as we put together sensible, long-term drug policy.
Toledo, Ohio: General, would it not be more
honest to say that 52,000 people die each year as a result
of sales disputes in an unregulated market, because of
impure products, because of the false and misleading scare
tactics that do not discuss drug use honestly, and because
those who are with users in trouble are afraid to seek
help because of the fear of arrest? [edited for space]
Barry McCaffrey: It's difficult to not be outraged
at the enormous damage done by drug abuse in America.
The devastating impact of substance abuse on physical
health, family life, the work force, and the educational
development of young people is unbelievable. 4.1 million
Americans are chronically addicted. They are desperately
sick, normally unemployed, living dangerous, immoral lives,
alienated from their families and filled with shame and
despair. Their problem is that these substances (poly
drug abuse, heroin, cocaine, meth, pot, alcohol) have
changed their neuro-chemistry. Their brains now operate
in a very different way. Treatment can reverse this process.
Pure drugs, a physically safe drug using environment,
and more ready access to drugs does not help reduce the
problem. Our experience is that it increases the problem.
The drugs are harmful and dangerous. That's why we focus
on prevention and education. Visit a drug treatment center
and ask an addict in recovery about drug abuse. They are
desperate to escape from this terrible brain condition.
Portland, Oregon: Why is it, that our gov't.
continues to push policy that is based on punishment instead
of treatment? It seems that the federal and state gov't.s
have sidestepped all the real issues in these matters.
We know treatment is better and more humane, we know that
prohibition has never succeeded anywhere with anything,
so why not enact sane policies around the legality of
these substances and the treatment for those who have
problems with them?
Barry McCaffrey: Please look at our 1999 National
Drug Policy posted on our homepage at www. whitehousedrugpolicy.gov.
In the last four budget years with the bipartisan support
of Congress, we have increased federal drug prevention
dollars by 55%. We have increased drug treatment resources
by 26%. We have a massive increase in federal support
(36%) for drug research through the brilliant work of
Dr. Alan Leshner and NIDA.
At the same time, we all recognize that the central component
of lowering drug abuse in America is to support strong
community drug prevention programs aimed at reducing gateway
drug taking behavior by adolescents ages 9 to 17. Each
teenage compulsive drug user will cost American society
more than two million dollars over their life time. This
is why Dick Riley and I so strongly support the Safe and
Drug Free Schools Program, the Drug Free Communities Program,
the Boys and Girls Clubs, YMCA, the DARE Program, and
any other effort to give young people mentored, positive
life experiences.
Bob Levey: Teenagers are the key to this
whole issue, it seems to me, and they are tremendously
susceptible to peer pressure. So why not a continuing
effort to have famous teenagers declare drugs to be "uncool?"
Barry McCaffrey: It is clear that youth attitudes
about drugs absolutely predicts youth drug taking behavior.
The Partnership for A Drug Free America, CASA at Columbia
University, Dr. Lloyd Johnston at University of Michigan
and certainly, the work of Dr. Carol Kumpfer at CSAT--all
argue that attitudes formed during adolescent years are
the key to preventing youth drug taking behavior. Our
five-year national youth anti-drug media campaign combined
with strong community coalition drug prevention programs
will support youth attitudes that reject the use of illegal
drugs as well as alcohol and tobacco. We look forward
to the September 6 launch of our final steady-state phase
of the media anti-drug campaign. Go check out freevibe.com
run for us by Disney/ABC. Look at AOL under "drug help."
Our ads on TV and radio will be in 11 languages. We will
focus on separate strategies for 102 media markets. Half
the ads are aimed at forming anti-drug attitudes among
youth. The other half are aimed at encouraging parent,
mentor, care giver involvement in creating positive alternatives
for American young people. All of us are very optimistic
that in the coming decade, we can continue to redcuce
drug abuse in America. Drug use in America has been reduced
by 50% since 1979, when it was 14.1% of the population.
Today, it's 6%. Our purpose is to reduce drug abuse below
3% of the population--the lowest levels in modern American
history. This is achievable.
Bob Levey: That's all we
have time for today. Many thanks to our guest, Gen. Barry
R. McCaffrey. Be sure to join us next Tuesday, Jan. 27,
at the same time, when our scheduled guest is the mayor
of Washington, D.C., Anthony Williams. And don't forget
the anything-goes version of our show. It's called "Levey
Live: Speaking Freely." It appears Fridays from 1 to 2
p.m. Eastern time.
© 1999 The Washington Post Company
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Prohibition
