cannabisnews.com: Bush Pledges To Reduce Nationwide Drug Use Bush Pledges To Reduce Nationwide Drug Use Posted by FoM on February 12, 2002 at 17:04:43 PT By Melanie Hunter, CNSNews.com Evening Editor Source: CNSNews.com Over the next five years, President Bush hopes to reduce illegal drug use nationwide by 25 percent and 10 percent within two years, he announced in an East Room ceremony Tuesday. "We're putting the fight against drugs in the center of our national agenda," Bush told lawmakers, ambassadors and anti-drug officials. He said he plans on reducing drug use by improving law enforcement. "We've got a problem in this country: Too many people use drugs," Bush said. "This is an individual tragedy, and as a result, it is a social crisis." White House drug policy director John Walters said the Bush administration's strategy is based on making existing anti-drug programs more efficient and reducing public tolerance for drug use. "We have to undermine the cynicism that people are always going to use drugs at roughly the same amount that they're using now. That's not true. And my goal is to demonstrate that's not true," Walters said. Meanwhile, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) blasted the Bush administration's plan, saying for the first time the White House is calling for "compassionate coercion" of millions of American citizens who smoke marijuana responsibly."The overwhelming majority of our nation's drug users and drug arrestees are marijuana users, the majority of whom do not need treatment - coerced, compassionate or otherwise," said Keith Stroup, executive director of NORML. He pointed to the nation's recent "war on tobacco," adding that: "We have significantly reduced the prevalence of tobacco smoking and drunk driving in recent years. "We have not achieved this by banning the use of alcohol and tobacco, or by targeting and arresting adults who use them responsibly, but through honest educational campaigns. We should apply these same principles to the responsible use of marijuana," Stroup said. He said that by calling American citizens who have voted in recent years in states like California, Nevada and Arizona "armchair theorists who want to define the problem away and normalize drug use," the White House's Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) shifts the blame for a failed "war on drugs" to voters and organizations who support reform, instead of the federal government's own policies. NORML also criticized the White House for linking the "war on terrorism" with the "war on drugs" during ads that were aired during the Super Bowl."It is patently absurd to suggest that marijuana smokers are in any way supporting terrorism - they are patriots and American citizens, too," said Stroup.Walters' priorities include: identifying drug users who need treatment but are unlikely to seek it; helping recovering addicts stay clean; disrupting money laundering networks; and gathering better intelligence about drug distribution networks so they can be broken up.The president's proposed budget for next year includes $19.2 billion in anti-drug spending, 2 percent more than last year's budget. He's asking for $644 million for the Safe and Drug-Free Schools Program, which encourages drug-prevention among young people and $731 million to fight drug trafficking in the Andes.Note: Includes more reaction from the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Law.Complete Title: Bush Pledges To Reduce Nationwide Drug Use in Next Five YearsSource: CNSNews.comAuthor: Melanie Hunter, CNSNews.com Evening EditorPublished: February 12, 2002Copyright: 1998-2002 Cybercast News ServiceContact: shogenson cnsnews.comWebsite: http://www.cnsnews.com/Related Articles & Web Site:NORMLhttp://www.norml.org/Bush Says Plan Will Cut Illegal Drug Use by 10% http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread11987.shtmlBush Seeks Drop in Drug Use http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread11984.shtmlSecond Opinion: Drug Users As Traitors http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread11980.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #7 posted by kaptinemo on February 13, 2002 at 09:28:24 PT: Breach of contract You know what I mean: someone tells you he'll do something for you, takes the money you gave him to do it...and doesn't finish the job. In any sane system, you fire the contractor, and he either forks over the money or you take him to court. In any event, he has breached the contract.In 1987, Newt Gingrich promised us we'd have a Drug-Free America in 1995. Uh, I'm looking at my calendar right now, and in big block letters it says it's the year 2002, A.D.. Funny, I don't see any 'Drug-Free America' anywhere, do you? Yet, the Feds still get our money...and do terrible things with it. To use a trite phrase, "We wuz robbed!'Looking at another article, I find that the ONDCP is getting 19 Billion Federal taxpayer dollars this year for it's latest efforts in trying to conclude the contract...the same contract for the same work begun by Woodrow Wilson 88 years ago...and never completed. Perhaps it's time the people of the US took their government to court based upon a very grievous, injuring and malicious breach of contract by the US Federal Government? With evey living taxpaying citizen as a claimant?I am not being flippant; money is power. Threaten to take that money from them for a legitimate failure to carry out the contract, just as they do to firms it contracts with, and watch what happens. They've failed, in every respect, to meet it's specifications; why treat them any differently than they treat us? Perhaps some sharp Reform minded lawyer could pursue this legally, given that fact that The Feds have demonstrably in reaching their goals.Breach of contract is a serious civil matter; the 88 year long breach of contract that is the war on Drugs that has been permitted to continue (ostensibly for moral reasons) is no less serious, as it massively, negatively affects the welfare of society in toto. About as good a reason as any to end this insanity... [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by Mr X on February 12, 2002 at 22:11:41 PT To room 101!! "We have to undermine the cynicism that people are always going to use drugs at roughly the same amount that they're using now. That's not true. And my goal is to demonstrate that's not true," Walters said."What a gentle, loving man, think god he is here to help us all."He gazed up at the enormous face. Forty years it had taken him to learn what kind of smile was hidden beneath the dark moustache. O cruel, needless misunderstanding! O stubborn, self-willed exile from the loving breast! Two gin-scented tears trickled down the sides of his nose. But it was all right, everything was all right, the struggle was finished. He had won the victory over himself. He loved Big Brother."Brainwashing, clear and simple, God forbid there be free thought in this country that I love. I wouldnt want to undermine my governments position on law, no matter how stupid it may be.So everyone stop thinking and get back to work! [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by Mari on February 12, 2002 at 21:03:54 PT " I'm from the Govt., I'm here to help you." So he's going to "help" those who are unwilling to get "help" on their own. Maybe he plans to start with the AIDS/HIV patients who's records they've stolen from Dr.'s and Compassion Clubs. I feel as if the polgroms are gearing up. None of us will sleep well for many nights to come, I'm afraid. Wonder how much $$ they will end up making at the re-education camps... sorry, "treatment centers"? [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by lookinside on February 12, 2002 at 20:34:57 PT: I am so angry! The events of today are the beginning of a war... A real war.The Bush administration has chosen to hurt the sick and dying.Watch thy asses my friends...We are all at risk. It's time to get seriously involved politically. Take every opportunity to tell the truth about our(?) government's actions....Sleep is going to be difficult tonight... [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by freedom fighter on February 12, 2002 at 18:34:41 PT America's Response Plant thousands more seeds!Left, Right, East, West, North, South...Go to to churches and pass these seeds around and tell them that God told them to plant the Herb..ff [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by goneposthole on February 12, 2002 at 18:09:55 PT fatigue twice I meant for one of those to be constipation.Even more painfully obvious. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by goneposthole on February 12, 2002 at 18:06:52 PT Commercial Paxil, a prescription medication advertised on commercial television warns that the side effects include general fatigue, drowsiness, sexual dysfunction and fatigue. The medication is prescribed to reduce stress.It is painfully obvious that the cabinet members and George Bush have been ingesting this drug for quite sometime [ Post Comment ] Post Comment