cannabisnews.com: U.S. Drug Czar Admits To Failed Ad Campaign U.S. Drug Czar Admits To Failed Ad Campaign Posted by CN Staff on May 14, 2002 at 22:38:12 PT For Immediate Release Source: Common Dreams According to today’s Wall Street Journal, Drug Czar John Walters plans to ask Congress for continued support of his office’s National Youth Anti-Drug Media campaign, despite definitive evidence of its failure to reduce drug use among American youth. A new report evaluating the five- year old campaign, which has spent $929 million in taxpayer money so far, found that it “isn’t reducing drug use,” as Mr. Walters told the Journal. Remarkably, however, Mr. Walters, head the Office of National Drug Control Policy, is pushing for continued support of the failed program as it comes up for Congressional reauthorization for another five years. “Admit five years of failure, and ask for $900 million more?” asked Drug Policy Alliance Executive Director Ethan Nadelmann. “What about supporting after-school programs that really get to the root of the problem?”Mr. Walters also continues to lead a $10 million broadcast and print advertising campaign linking young people who use drugs to terrorism, despite lack of evidence that this message is helping reduce drug use. These controversial ads have been criticized for being politically motivated, using support for the war on terrorism to mask the growing public skepticism about the expensive, failed war on drugs. The Drug Policy Alliance, the nation’s leading drug policy reform organization, is calling for an immediate halt to the taxpayer-funded drug and terrorism ad campaign. Marsha Rosenbaum, head of the Safety First project at the Drug Policy Alliance, which promotes honest drug education for teens and parents, emphasized that when it comes to young people and drugs, their safety should be the top priority. “These scare tactic ads, just like the egg in the frying pan, do nothing to help teens make safer decisions for themselves, or to encourage dialogue with their parents,” said Rosenbaum. The new website -- http://www.safety1st.org/ -- stresses the value of abstinence, but also the need for fallback strategies when teenagers begin to experiment. “Congress has a real opportunity right now to demand that money for drug education be invested in keeping our kids safe,” said Rosenbaum. “These failed, expensive television ads must stop.” Note: Drug Policy Alliance Calls for Immediate Halt to Controversial, Untested $10 Million Ad Campaign Linking Americans Who Use Drugs to Terrorism. Complete Title: U.S. Drug Czar Admits to Failed Ad Campaign, After Wasting Nearly $1 Billion in Taxpayer MoneyAttention Journalists: Experts on honest drug education for teens and parents are available for interviews. Please call Shayna Samuels at 212-547-6916 for more information. Contact: Drug Policy Alliance -- http://www.drugpolicy.org/Shayna Samuels, (212) 547-6916, cell (917) 544-8268Drug Policy Alliance is the nation’s leading organization working to end the war on drugs and promote new drug policies based on common sense, science, public health and human rights. The Alliance, headquartered in New York City, has offices in California, Washington, DC and New Mexico. Ethan Nadelmann is the executive director. Newshawk: ddddSource: Common Dreams (ME)Published: May 14, 2002Copyright: 1997-2002 Common DreamsContact: editor commondreams.org Website: http://www.commondreams.org/Related Articles & Web Site:Crossfire Transcripts: Do Drug Ads Really Work?http://www.freedomtoexhale.com/cf.htmNew Drug Czar Says Ad Campaign has Flopped http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12838.shtmlTo Fight Terrorism, Quit Fighting Drugshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12185.shtmlAre We Helping Terrorists by Not Legalizing?http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12174.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #6 posted by TroutMask on May 15, 2002 at 06:42:27 PT The Ads don't work!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? Those ads don't work? All I have to say is: No sh!t, Sherlock.-TM [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by Ethan Russo MD on May 15, 2002 at 06:12:28 PT: Safety First WWW Site This site of Marsha Rosenbaum is top notch. They offer 50 free booklets to anyone who requests them. Order them today to distribute to teachers, LEO's and politicians:http://www.safety1st.org/cgi-bin/survey?page=educateyourself.html [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by Ethan Russo MD on May 15, 2002 at 06:08:18 PT: A Real Problem 1400 college kids a year die from binge drinking. Our government is squandering billions on the attempted eradication of a healing herb called cannabis. What is wrong with this picture? [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by SirReal on May 15, 2002 at 05:53:20 PT Greta Vansustren Oh my God,...a major media outlet actually talked about this admission of failure,..for a whole minute.Greta said she was angry that all that money was spent, which may have caused an opposite effect.I challenged "'ol tight eyes" in an e-mail at: ontherecord foxnews.com to make the drug issue her cause and maybe she will save her Godforsaken show from the ratings ax.Maybe she could go up against Bill "save the children" O'rielly...like the two jokers Hannity and Colms do. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by dddd on May 15, 2002 at 04:45:56 PT ...Oooops,,..??....!! ...gosh,,,,,I guess that the ad campaign didnt work................................................................................................ ............. ............. Too FREEKIN bad that taxpayers got burned for this idiotic experiment deployed by assholes,who are on the publics payroll,,who doled out huge sums of money for such obscenely expensive,and inexcusibly stupid wastes of precious MILLIONS!!!!!!!!!!#*&*&%$$#*&%%$###*&#.......dddd [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by goneposthole on May 15, 2002 at 04:16:47 PT Mr. Walters Please read.Obfuscation- confusion resulting from failure to understand; the act of darkening or bewildering, the state of being darkened. "Obfuscation of the cornea"Definition from dictionary.comOne cannot see the light if it can't get through.This might help: http://m2.aol.com/johng101/ibelieve.htm [ Post Comment ] Post Comment