Text: White House to Release First Annual Report on Anti-Drug Efforts

(Gen. McCaffrey to testify before House Appropriations panel)  (780)

General Barry McCaffrey will release the first annual report on the
status of U.S. anti-drug efforts at a March 23 hearing before the
House Appropriations Committee, the White House Office of National
Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) has announced.

The annual report was mandated by Congress last year when it
reauthorized funding for the ONDCP, which is headed by McCaffrey.

In a statement, McCaffrey said the report would track the "substantial
progress" made in the fight against illegal drug abuse and drug
trafficking, including studies showing that "youth drug use dropped 13
percent last year, overall cocaine use is down, methamphetamine
seizures are dramatically up, and drug crime and drug-related murders
are dropping."

Following is the text of the statement:

(begin text)

EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
OFFICE OF NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL POLICY 

White House Drug Czar McCaffrey To Issue First Annual Report on State
of the Nation's Anti-Drug Efforts at Testimony to House Appropriations
Committee, 10 A.M. Thurs., March 23, 2358 Rayburn

"SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS" IN REDUCING YOUTH DRUG USE, INCREASING
SEIZURES, DRUG CRIME DROPPING, DRUG SOURCE COUNTRY REDUCTIONS, AND
IMPLEMENTING COMPREHENSIVE NATIONAL STRATEGY INCLUDING NATIONAL MEDIA
CAMPAIGN

(Washington, DC) -- White House National Drug Policy Director Barry
McCaffrey delivers the first annual report on the state of the
Nation's anti-drug efforts at testimony before the House
Appropriations Committee Thursday -- 10 a.m., 2358 Rayburn House
Office Building. McCaffrey is testifying before the Treasury, Postal
Service and General Government Subcommittee, chaired by Rep. Jim Kolbe
(R/AZ), with Rep. Steny Hoyer (D/MD) the Ranking Minority Member.

Director McCaffrey stated, "The nation working together has made
substantial progress in confronting illegal drug abuse and drug
trafficking. In the report, we show that youth drug use dropped 13
percent last year, overall cocaine use is down, methamphetamine
seizures are dramatically up, and drug crime and drug-related murders
are dropping. The National Youth Media Campaign, begun two years ago,
is reaching 95 percent of youth over eight times a week. In addition,
our source country efforts are working. Peru and Bolivia, formerly the
top two suppliers of U.S. cocaine, have reduced coca cultivation 66
percent and 55 percent respectively since 1995, and we have presented
a comprehensive approach to Congress to accomplish a similar objective
in Colombia."

"I've regularly pointed out that we must approach our anti-drug
efforts not like a war, but like a cancer, with the entire American
family taking part. We're beginning to do that successfully. Parents,
teachers, coaches, religious leaders, and businesses are working with
community coalitions to make a big difference. For those who say this
is a war, we are winning," McCaffrey asserted.

"Serious challenges remain. Heroin abuse is climbing back, and many
kids think heroin is safe because it can now be snorted or smoked. But
the danger of death to children is terribly real as the recent cases
in Plano, Orlando, and Baltimore prove amply. We are improving our
prevention and enforcement against methamphetamine. However, this drug
remains one of the most dangerous substances America has ever
confronted. It has serious potential nationally to become the next
"crack" cocaine epidemic. Moreover, while we have succeeded in
reducing overall coca cultivation in the Andes, we must confront
skyrocketing drug production in Colombia -- 90 percent of the cocaine
in the United States and most of the heroin on the Eastern Seaboard
originate in or transit through that troubled nation. We look forward
to prompt congressional action on the Administration's $1.6 billion
Colombian and Andean region emergency assistance package."

This annual report was mandated by Congress last year when it
reauthorized the Office of National Drug Control Policy, headed by
McCaffrey. Previously, the office had been required to submit an
annual Strategy. Congress agreed with McCaffrey that the Strategy must
be long-term and that what is needed on an annual basis is evidence
that it is being carried out effectively. Thus, with today's
presentation, ONDCP now will begin submitting an Annual Report and
annual updates of a detailed Performance Measures of Effectiveness
(PME) system as the nation successfully confronts drug abuse and
trafficking. In addition to the Strategy Report and the PME, McCaffrey
also is submitting separate volumes on the FY 2001 Counterdrug Budget
and the Counterdrug Technology Assessment Center, which he also
oversees. A classified annex to the Annual Report will be submitted to
Congress later this spring.

The reports may be accessed beginning March 23 on ONDCP's web site:
www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov

(end text)

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