DATE= 12/3/97

TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT

NUMBER=5-38288

TITLE=DRUG SPENDING REVISIONS? 

BYLINE=MELISSA WINKLER

DATELINE=WASHINGTON

CONTENT=

VOICED AT: 



INTRO:  A U-S NON-PARTISAN ANTI-DRUG GROUP CALLED "DRUG 

STRATEGIES" IS URGING CONGRESS TO REVERSE ITS DRUG CONTROL 

SPENDING PRIORITIES SO THAT MORE MONEY GOES TO PREVENTION AND 

TREATMENT.  IN A NEW REPORT, THE GROUP SAYS DEMAND REDUCTION, AS 

OPPOSED TO SUPPLY INTERDICTION AND LAW ENFORCEMENT, HAS PROVEN TO

BE A MORE COST-EFFECTIVE WAY TO REDUCE DRUG USE, ESPECIALLY AMONG

TEENS. V-O-A'S MELISSA WINKLER HAS THIS REPORT.



TEXT:  JUNE GERTIG'S SON BEGAN USING DRUGS WHEN HE WAS 12 YEARS 

OLD AND WAS ADDICTED ONE YEAR LATER.  THE VIRGINIA YOUTH ENDED UP

SPENDING THE NEXT FIVE YEARS GOING FROM ONE TREATMENT PROGRAM TO 

ANOTHER -- COSTING HIS FAMILY MORE THAN 40-THOUSAND DOLLARS.  THE

TREATMENT WORKED, BUT JUNE GERTIG WONDERS WHETHER HER SON'S 

PROBLEMS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED HAD HIS SCHOOL SPONSORED DRUG 

PREVENTION PROGRAMS. 



DRUG STRATEGIES SAYS EVIDENCE IS CLEAR THAT AFTER-SCHOOL 

ACTIVITIES THAT KEEP KIDS OUT OF TROUBLE AND PROGRAMS TEACHING 

YOUNG AMERICANS TO REJECT DRUGS ARE EFFECTIVELY CURBING TEEN DRUG

USE.  



A NEW REPORT BY THE GROUP ACKNOWLEDGES THAT MAINTAINING 

COOPERATION IN INTERDICTION EFFORTS WITH DRUG-PRODUCING COUNTRIES

IS VITAL.  BUT THE GROUP'S PRESIDENT, MATHEA FALCO SAYS IT'S TIME

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT STARTS TARGETING FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO 

PROGRAMS THAT WORK BEST.



                        // FALCO ACT // 



         THE AMERICAN PEOPLE OUT IN COMMUNITIES KNOW THEY'VE GOT 

         TO DO MORE ABOUT PREVENTION. THEY ARE TERRIFIED ABOUT 

         PROTECTING THEIR CHILDREN. AND THEIR LOCAL POLICE CHIEFS

         ARE GOING TO TELL THEM THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT CAN'T SOLVE 

         THAT PROBLEM.  



                          // END OPT //



MS. FALCO SAYS THE GOVERNMENT ALSO NEEDS TO INVEST FAR MORE IN 

DRUG TREATMENT.



                         // FALCO ACT //



         EVERYBODY KNOWS THERE IS NOT ENOUGH TREATMENT IN THIS 

         COUNTRY AND THERE IS EVEN LESS TREATMENT FOR KIDS -- AND

         YET WE KNOW, FROM EXTENSIVE STUDIES, THAT TREATMENT IS 

         FAR MORE COST-EFFECTIVE THAN ANY OTHER STRATEGY OPTION.



                          // END ACT //



ACCORDING TO STUDIES CITED IN THE DRUG STRATEGIES' REPORT, IT 

COSTS 34-MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF TREATMENT PROGRAMS TO REDUCE 

ANNUAL COCAINE USE BY ONE PERCENT.  IT WOULD TAKE 10 TIMES THAT 

AMOUNT ON INTERDICTION ... AND 23 TIMES THAT AMOUNT, OR 

783-MILLION DOLLARS, ATTACKING THE SUPPLY OUTSIDE THE UNITED 

STATES. 



SO WHY DOES THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET FAVOR SUPPLY REDUCTION BY A 

TWO-TO-ONE MARGIN OVER DEMAND REDUCTION?



MATHEA FALCO SUSPECTS THE ANSWER LIES IN POLITICS -- THAT BEING 

TOUGH ON CRIME WINS MORE VOTES THAN CONFRONTING THE SENSITIVE 

SUBJECT OF DRUG ABUSE.  SHE ALSO CITES THE PERCEPTION THAT THE 

AMERICAN DRUG PROBLEM COMES FROM ABROAD AND THAT THE WAR ON DRUGS

NEEDS TO BE FOCUSED OVERSEAS.



IN ITS REPORT, DRUG STRATEGIES PROVIDES DETAILS ABOUT 

COMMUNITY-BASED DRUG PREVENTION PROGRAMS, LIKE THE MENTORING 

GROUP 'THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF AMERICA,' THAT HAVE WORKED TO 

REDUCE TEEN DRUG USE.



THE ORGANIZATION SAYS IT PLANS TO SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT SUCH 

PROGRAMS TO LAWMAKERS AND LOBBY THEM TO ALLOCATE TWO-THIRDS OF 

DRUG CONTROL SPENDING TO PREVENTION AND TREATMENT AND ONE-THIRD 

TO SUPPLY REDUCTION. (SIGNED)



NEB/MJW/RRM







 











03-Dec-97 5:05 PM EST (2205 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America

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