Fact Sheet: White House Announces New Anti-Drug Initiatives

10 May 2001

Fact Sheet: White House Announces New Anti-Drug Initiatives

New drug policy director nominated, new programs launched

President Bush nominated John P. Walters to head the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy May 10. At the same time, the president announced several new prevention and education programs his administration will pursue to reduce drug use in the United States. Those programs are described in the following fact sheet.

The following terms are used in the text:

Billion: 1,000 million
HHS: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Following is the text of the fact sheet:

(begin text)

White House Fact Sheet on Drug Policy
May 10, 2001

Drug Policy Fact Sheet

Today's Presidential Action:

-- Today, the President named John P. Walters as Director of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP).

-- Walters started his public service at the Department of Education, and served as the principal author and project manager for the "Schools Without Drugs" prevention and education program.

-- Walters served as Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) Chief of Staff in the first Bush Administration, and later was confirmed by the Senate as Deputy Director.

The President considers drug control a priority and announced that he is making the ONDCP Director a member of his Cabinet. ONDCP will continue to coordinate all federal anti-drug efforts, but it will also be tasked with working more effectively to support state and local efforts as well as communities and families to reduce drug abuse.

A New Approach to Drug Policy:

-- The President has directed ONDCP to focus federal anti-drug efforts on results. The President has asked key members of his administration to coordinate with the ONDCP. HHS Secretary (Tommy) Thompson will lead a state-by-state review of treatment needs and capacity to assess the effectiveness of existing anti-drug efforts to ensure that resources are used effectively to fight drugs. Attorney General (John) Ashcroft will develop a plan to make certain the criminal justice system helps addicts recover and break the cycle of addiction and violence when they return to the community. Dr. John DiIulio will compile an inventory of existing federal anti-drug partnerships with local faith-based and community groups and work with John Walters to strengthen those efforts.

The President's Budget & Drug Policy:

-- The President's budget reflects his commitment to preventing drug abuse, treating those already addicted, and keeping communities safe with an increase of $1.1 billion bringing the total budget for federal drug control to over $19 billion.

Highlights:

-- Creates a new Parent Drug Corps to mobilize parents and families, providing $25 million over five years.

-- Doubles funding for local anti-drug coalitions over five years, providing up to $350 million over 5 years, including an $11 million increase in FY 2002, to support community-based drug prevention and education efforts.

-- Works to close the treatment gap with a five-year commitment to increasing treatment resources by $1.6 billion, including targeted treatment programs for teens and adolescents.

-- Increases funding for the National Institute of Drug Abuse by $126 million for FY 2002, expanding research into prevention and treatment.

-- Provides an additional $41.5 million for the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

-- Fully funds the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign at $185 million to ensure that vital anti-drug public service advertisements continue to reach parents and children.

-- Dedicates $50 million to Drug Courts and increases State and Federal Prison Drug Treatment and Testing programs to $114 million to help more Americans break the vicious cycle of addiction and incarceration.

-- Supports counterdrug law enforcement with $52 million for methamphetamine lab cleanup and enforcement, $50 million to reimburse border county prosecutors, and $355 million in block grant funding to provide technology support to local law enforcement officers.

(end Fact Sheet)