DATE= 12/3/97
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-38288
TITLE=DRUG SPENDING REVISIONS?
BYLINE=MELISSA WINKLER
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: A U-S NON-PARTISAN ANTI-DRUG GROUP CALLED "DRUG
STRATEGIES" IS URGING CONGRESS TO REVERSE ITS DRUG CONTROL
SPENDING PRIORITIES SO THAT MORE MONEY GOES TO PREVENTION AND
TREATMENT. IN A NEW REPORT, THE GROUP SAYS DEMAND REDUCTION, AS
OPPOSED TO SUPPLY INTERDICTION AND LAW ENFORCEMENT, HAS PROVEN TO
BE A MORE COST-EFFECTIVE WAY TO REDUCE DRUG USE, ESPECIALLY AMONG
TEENS. V-O-A'S MELISSA WINKLER HAS THIS REPORT.
TEXT: JUNE GERTIG'S SON BEGAN USING DRUGS WHEN HE WAS 12 YEARS
OLD AND WAS ADDICTED ONE YEAR LATER. THE VIRGINIA YOUTH ENDED UP
SPENDING THE NEXT FIVE YEARS GOING FROM ONE TREATMENT PROGRAM TO
ANOTHER -- COSTING HIS FAMILY MORE THAN 40-THOUSAND DOLLARS. THE
TREATMENT WORKED, BUT JUNE GERTIG WONDERS WHETHER HER SON'S
PROBLEMS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED HAD HIS SCHOOL SPONSORED DRUG
PREVENTION PROGRAMS.
DRUG STRATEGIES SAYS EVIDENCE IS CLEAR THAT AFTER-SCHOOL
ACTIVITIES THAT KEEP KIDS OUT OF TROUBLE AND PROGRAMS TEACHING
YOUNG AMERICANS TO REJECT DRUGS ARE EFFECTIVELY CURBING TEEN DRUG
USE.
A NEW REPORT BY THE GROUP ACKNOWLEDGES THAT MAINTAINING
COOPERATION IN INTERDICTION EFFORTS WITH DRUG-PRODUCING COUNTRIES
IS VITAL. BUT THE GROUP'S PRESIDENT, MATHEA FALCO SAYS IT'S TIME
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT STARTS TARGETING FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO
PROGRAMS THAT WORK BEST.
// FALCO ACT //
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE OUT IN COMMUNITIES KNOW THEY'VE GOT
TO DO MORE ABOUT PREVENTION. THEY ARE TERRIFIED ABOUT
PROTECTING THEIR CHILDREN. AND THEIR LOCAL POLICE CHIEFS
ARE GOING TO TELL THEM THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT CAN'T SOLVE
THAT PROBLEM.
// END OPT //
MS. FALCO SAYS THE GOVERNMENT ALSO NEEDS TO INVEST FAR MORE IN
DRUG TREATMENT.
// FALCO ACT //
EVERYBODY KNOWS THERE IS NOT ENOUGH TREATMENT IN THIS
COUNTRY AND THERE IS EVEN LESS TREATMENT FOR KIDS -- AND
YET WE KNOW, FROM EXTENSIVE STUDIES, THAT TREATMENT IS
FAR MORE COST-EFFECTIVE THAN ANY OTHER STRATEGY OPTION.
// END ACT //
ACCORDING TO STUDIES CITED IN THE DRUG STRATEGIES' REPORT, IT
COSTS 34-MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF TREATMENT PROGRAMS TO REDUCE
ANNUAL COCAINE USE BY ONE PERCENT. IT WOULD TAKE 10 TIMES THAT
AMOUNT ON INTERDICTION ... AND 23 TIMES THAT AMOUNT, OR
783-MILLION DOLLARS, ATTACKING THE SUPPLY OUTSIDE THE UNITED
STATES.
SO WHY DOES THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET FAVOR SUPPLY REDUCTION BY A
TWO-TO-ONE MARGIN OVER DEMAND REDUCTION?
MATHEA FALCO SUSPECTS THE ANSWER LIES IN POLITICS -- THAT BEING
TOUGH ON CRIME WINS MORE VOTES THAN CONFRONTING THE SENSITIVE
SUBJECT OF DRUG ABUSE. SHE ALSO CITES THE PERCEPTION THAT THE
AMERICAN DRUG PROBLEM COMES FROM ABROAD AND THAT THE WAR ON DRUGS
NEEDS TO BE FOCUSED OVERSEAS.
IN ITS REPORT, DRUG STRATEGIES PROVIDES DETAILS ABOUT
COMMUNITY-BASED DRUG PREVENTION PROGRAMS, LIKE THE MENTORING
GROUP 'THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF AMERICA,' THAT HAVE WORKED TO
REDUCE TEEN DRUG USE.
THE ORGANIZATION SAYS IT PLANS TO SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT SUCH
PROGRAMS TO LAWMAKERS AND LOBBY THEM TO ALLOCATE TWO-THIRDS OF
DRUG CONTROL SPENDING TO PREVENTION AND TREATMENT AND ONE-THIRD
TO SUPPLY REDUCTION. (SIGNED)
NEB/MJW/RRM
03-Dec-97 5:05 PM EST (2205 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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