03 February 2002

New Media Campaign Stresses Link between Drugs and Terrorism

The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) has launched a new media campaign to educate the public about the link between drug trafficking and terrorism. The multi-pronged effort will emphasize how the sales of illicit drugs finance acts of terror, as documented by a U.S. State Department survey of international terrorist organizations.

"Drug use hurts our families and our communities," said ONDCP Director John Walters in a February 3 press release on the initiative. The campaign premiered with the broadcast of television messages during the American national football championship game February 3. The messages will receive further public exposure on broadcast and cable television. Advertising will appear in national magazines and almost 300 newspapers across the country.

ONDCP will also be using banner advertising on the Internet in addition to Web sites it already has in place to help parents and teachers better educate youngsters about the dangers of illegal drugs.

Those Web sites are available at http://www1.theantidrug.com/ and http://www1.theantidrug.com/teachersguide/index.html

Following is the text of the ONDCP press release:

Washington, D.C.-The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) today announced a new initiative to educate Americans about the link between illicit drug use in the United States and acts of terror around the world. The initiative, part of the ONDCP's National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign, combines high-profile advertising, online resources and outreach to educators, community leaders and the entertainment industry in an effort to engage Americans in youth drug prevention.

"Drug use hurts our families and our communities. It also finances our enemies. To fight the terror inflicted by killers, thugs, and terrorists around the world who depend on American drug purchases to fund their violence, we must stop paying for our own destruction and the destruction of others," said ONDCP Director John Walters. "As the President has said, 'When you quit using drugs, you join the fight against terror in America.'"

The new initiative is designed to educate all Americans-specifically young people and parents -- about how money from the drug trade helps finance acts of terror. For example, roughly half of the 28 international terrorist organizations recognized by the State Department engage in drug trafficking, and many drug trafficking organizations engage in acts of terror, like kidnapping, torture, bombings and killing of innocents.

The initiative has strong bipartisan support. Members of Congress have commended the initiative as an effective way to educate youth about the link between the drug trade and terror and to bolster prevention efforts. According to Representative Mark Souder (R-IL), Chairman of the Government Reform Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug Policy and Human Resources, "It is important for young people to understand that when they use illegal narcotics, their actions have wide-ranging consequences. Drug abuse has always wreaked havoc on a personal and community level. These ads show that the consequences are far greater: In addition to hurting themselves, Americans who buy and sell illegal narcotics are lending a helping hand to people like those who attacked America on September 11." Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Ranking Democrat on the House Treasury-Postal Appropriations Committee which has budgetary jurisdiction over the ONDCP, said, "I think that this campaign exposes another facet of the evil that drugs perpetrate in our lives. I hope this message, coupled with the ONDCP's other efforts, will convince young people to stay away from drugs for their own good and that of their community."

Experts from the prevention field concur, "The events of September 11th have brought into focus the underground economy of drug trafficking. These ads are designed to raise awareness among teenagers and give them, maybe for the first time, a new reason not to use drugs. We expect these ads will stimulate conversations among teens and generate positive peer pressure against marijuana and other drug use," said Steven H. Kelder, MPH, PhD, Acting Director of the Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research at the University of Texas.

"These messages highlight the tragic unintended consequences of drug use," said Judy Cushing, President/CEO of the Oregon Partnership. "We must remain vigilant in our efforts to prevent and treat substance abuse in this country. People trapped by addiction are not criminals-they are our neighbors, our friends and our families, and they need our help and compassion. However, we must educate the public-especially young people-about how drug money is being used to promote regimes hostile to our freedoms. Substance abuse is harmful to your body and your country."

The initiative combines a range of activities -- print and broadcast advertising, in-school programming, lesson plans for teachers, online information, community and news media outreach -- to raise awareness about the link between drugs and terror and engage youth and influential adults in drug prevention. The advertising highlights the costs associated with terrorist acts, both human and financial, and links them to illegal drug sales in the United States, which are estimated at over $60 billion per year. Beginning with the Super Bowl telecast, broadcast ads will air on prime-time network television, Channel One, and Armed Forces television. Print advertising will appear in national magazines and more than 293 newspapers across the country.

The online component of the initiative will include banner and key word advertising to complement the new educational features on the Media Campaign's Web sites for parents (TheAntiDrug.com), educators (TeachersGuide.org), and entertainment writers (Drugstory.org).

In 1998, with bipartisan Congressional support, ONDCP created the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign as a multi-dimensional effort designed to educate and empower youth to reject illicit drugs. The Campaign delivers messages to youth on a variety of platforms, including, negative consequences, norm education, positive consequences and resistance skills. It also target parents and other influential adults. Developed from a solid scientific base, this historic effort is supported by television, radio, online and print advertising, school-based educational materials, Internet Web sites and partnerships with civic and faith service organizations.

Last updated: 2/4/2002