DATE=3/26/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-228802
TITLE=U-S DRUGS / MCCAFFREY (L-O)
BYLINE=MICHAEL BOWMAN
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE DIRECTOR OF U-S DRUG CONTROL POLICY SAYS HE WANTS TO
SEE THE UNITED STATES CUT ILLEGAL DRUG USE IN HALF OVER THE NEXT
TEN YEARS. DRUG CZAR BARRY MCCAFFREY MADE THE COMMENT TODAY
(THURSDAY) IN WASHINGTON AT A CONGRESSIONAL HEARING, WHERE HE
PRESENTED A BLUEPRINT TO GUIDE AMERICAN ANTI-NARCOTICS EFFORTS.
V-O-A'S MICHAEL BOWMAN REPORTS.
TEXT: BARRY MCCAFFREY SAYS THERE IS GOOD NEWS CONCERNING THE
WAR ON DRUGS. HE SAYS THE NUMBER OF AMERICANS WHO USE ILLEGAL
NARCOTICS IS DOWN FROM AN ESTIMATED 25-MILLION IN 1979 TO
13-MILLION TODAY. HE SAYS DRUG-RELATED CRIME IN THE UNITED
STATES HAS DECLINED IN RECENT YEARS, AND THAT TWO OF THE WORLD'S
LEADING PRODUCERS OF COCA LEAF -- PERU AND BOLIVIA -- HAVE
SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED PRODUCTION OF THE RAW MATERIAL FROM WHICH
COCAINE IS MADE.
BUT MR. MCCAFFREY SAYS MUCH WORK REMAINS TO BE DONE. SPEAKING
BEFORE A HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES' SUBCOMMITTEE FOR NATIONAL
SECURITY AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, THE DRUG CONTROL POLICY
DIRECTOR SAID THE UNITED STATES SHOULD COMMIT ITSELF TO REDUCING
DRUG USE BY 50-PERCENT BY THE YEAR 2007. AS A SECONDARY GOAL,
MR. MCCAFFREY URGED FIGHTING FOR A THREE-YEAR INCREASE IN THE
AVERAGE AGE OF FIRST-TIME DRUG USERS.
// MCCAFFREY ACT //
IF WE GET TO THOSE OUTCOMES -- THIS IS A STATEMENT OF
FACT -- WE WILL HAVE ACHIEVED THE LOWEST DRUG-USE RATES
EVERY RECORDED IN AMERICAN SOCIETY SINCE WE STARTED
KEEPING THIS DATA.
// END ACT //
HOW DOES THE DRUG CZAR PROPOSE TO GET THERE? MR. MCCAFFREY
OUTLINED A SERIES OF INITIATIVES. THEY INCLUDE A NATIONAL YOUTH
ANTI-DRUG MEDIA CAMPAIGN, A PROGRAM TO DISPATCH ANTI-DRUG
COUNSELORS TO SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, GREATER ACCESS TO DRUG
TREATMENT PROGRAMS FOR FIRST-TIME OFFENDERS, AND EXPANDED
SURVEILLANCE AND SECURITY ALONG AMERICA'S SOUTHWEST BORDER, IN
AMERICAN PORTS AND THROUGH WHAT IS KNOWN AS THE CARIBBEAN
CORRIDOR.
MR. MCCAFFREY'S ASSESSMENT OF PROGRESS IN THE WAR ON DRUGS DREW
CRITICISM FROM SEVERAL REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVES. THE LAWMAKERS
SAID -- EVEN THOUGH DRUG USE IS LOWER TODAY THAN 20 YEARS AGO --
DRUG USE HAS SPIKED SHARPLY HIGHER SINCE 1992, THE YEAR BILL
CLINTON WAS ELECTED PRESIDENT. THE REPUBLICANS ACCUSED THE
CLINTON ADMINISTRATION OF NEGLECTING THE WAR ON DRUGS AND
EXPRESSED HOPE THAT, UNDER MR. MCCAFFREY'S GUIDANCE, A STRONGER
BATTLE WILL BE WAGED. SUBCOMMITTEE CHAIRMAN DENNIS HASTERT OF
ILLINOIS SAID AMERICANS HAVE PAID DEARLY FOR THEIR NATION'S DRUG
PROBLEM.
// HASTERT ACT //
IN 1995, WE LOST AT LEAST 14-THOUSAND AMERICANS TO DRUGS
AND DRUG VIOLENCE. MOST OF THEM (WERE) KIDS. IF WE HAD
THAT TYPE OF LOSS IN IRAQ OR BOSNIA, THE PEOPLE OF THIS
COUNTRY WOULD BE SCREAMING. AND, UNFORTUNATELY, WE
DON'T HEAR THAT SCREAMING IN THIS CASE BECAUSE IT
(DRUG-RELATED DEATH) HAPPENS ONE BY ONE AND A LOT OF
TIMES IN PRETTY DARK CORNERS.
// END ACT //
// BEG OPT // ON ANOTHER MATTER, BARRY MCCAFFREY WAS ASKED ABOUT
AN ARTICLE IN THURSDAY'S NEW YORK TIMES NEWSPAPER. THE TIMES
QUOTES UNNAMED CLINTON ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS AS SAYING THEY
SUSPECT DRUG CORRUPTION RUNS FAR DEEPER IN KEY MEXICAN
INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS THE MILITARY THAN PREVIOUSLY BELIEVED. ONE
OFFICIAL IS QUOTED AS SAYING -- IF DRUG TRAFFICKERS HAVE
CORRUPTED MEXICAN GENERALS -- THEN U-S ANTI-DRUG EFFORTS IN THE
COUNTRY ARE AN EXERCISE IN FUTILITY. THE DRUG CONTROL POLICY
DIRECTOR ADMITTED CORRUPTION REMAINS A MAJOR PROBLEM IN MEXICO,
BUT ADDED THAT HE IS CONFIDENT OF MEXICO'S COMMITMENT TO THE DRUG
WAR.
// MCCAFFREY ACT //
I THINK THE EVIDENCE IS PRETTY CLEAR (OF) A CONTINUING
COMMITMENT ON BOTH SIDES OF THE (U-S / MEXICO) BORDER TO
WORK IN COOPERATION, TECHNOLOGY, TRAINING, INTELLIGENCE
SHARING. YOU CAN LOOK AT WHAT THEY'VE ACCOMPLISHED ON
COCAINE SEIZURES AND OPIUM CULTIVATION AND MARIJUANA
CULTIVATION RATES. ALMOST ACROSS THE BOARD, THEY ARE
ACHIEVING, I THINK, SIGNIFICANT SUCCESSES.
// END ACT, END OPT //
MR. MCCAFFREY SAID HE EXPECTS ANTI-DRUG EFFORTS WILL BE DISCUSSED
IN DETAIL AT NEXT MONTH'S SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS IN SANTIAGO,
CHILE. THE DRUG CZAR SAID HE WILL ATTEND THE GATHERING AND
CONSULT WITH OFFICIALS FROM THROUGHOUT THE HEMISPHERE BOTH DURING
AND AFTER THE SUMMIT. (SIGNED)
NEB/MB/PLM
26-Mar-98 6:11 PM EST (2311 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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