DATE=3/26/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-228802
TITLE=U-S DRUGS / MCCAFFREY (L-O)
BYLINE=MICHAEL BOWMAN
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:   THE DIRECTOR OF U-S DRUG CONTROL POLICY SAYS HE WANTS TO
SEE THE UNITED STATES CUT ILLEGAL DRUG USE IN HALF OVER THE NEXT 
TEN YEARS.  DRUG CZAR BARRY MCCAFFREY MADE THE COMMENT TODAY 
(THURSDAY) IN WASHINGTON AT A CONGRESSIONAL HEARING, WHERE HE 
PRESENTED A BLUEPRINT TO GUIDE AMERICAN ANTI-NARCOTICS EFFORTS.  
V-O-A'S MICHAEL BOWMAN REPORTS.

TEXT:    BARRY MCCAFFREY SAYS THERE IS GOOD NEWS CONCERNING THE 
WAR ON DRUGS.  HE SAYS THE NUMBER OF AMERICANS WHO USE ILLEGAL 
NARCOTICS IS DOWN FROM AN ESTIMATED 25-MILLION IN 1979 TO 
13-MILLION TODAY.  HE SAYS DRUG-RELATED CRIME IN THE UNITED 
STATES HAS DECLINED IN RECENT YEARS, AND THAT TWO OF THE WORLD'S 
LEADING PRODUCERS OF COCA LEAF -- PERU AND BOLIVIA -- HAVE 
SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED PRODUCTION OF THE RAW MATERIAL FROM WHICH 
COCAINE IS MADE.

BUT MR. MCCAFFREY SAYS MUCH WORK REMAINS TO BE DONE.  SPEAKING 
BEFORE A HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES' SUBCOMMITTEE FOR NATIONAL 
SECURITY AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, THE DRUG CONTROL POLICY 
DIRECTOR SAID THE UNITED STATES SHOULD COMMIT ITSELF TO REDUCING 
DRUG USE BY 50-PERCENT BY THE YEAR 2007.  AS A SECONDARY GOAL, 
MR. MCCAFFREY URGED FIGHTING FOR A THREE-YEAR INCREASE IN THE 
AVERAGE AGE OF FIRST-TIME DRUG USERS.

                      //  MCCAFFREY ACT  //

         IF WE GET TO THOSE OUTCOMES -- THIS IS A STATEMENT OF 
         FACT -- WE WILL HAVE ACHIEVED THE LOWEST DRUG-USE RATES 
         EVERY RECORDED IN AMERICAN SOCIETY SINCE WE STARTED 
         KEEPING THIS DATA.

                         //  END ACT  //

HOW DOES THE DRUG CZAR PROPOSE TO GET THERE?  MR. MCCAFFREY 
OUTLINED A SERIES OF INITIATIVES.  THEY INCLUDE A NATIONAL YOUTH 
ANTI-DRUG MEDIA CAMPAIGN, A PROGRAM TO DISPATCH ANTI-DRUG 
COUNSELORS TO SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, GREATER ACCESS TO DRUG 
TREATMENT PROGRAMS FOR FIRST-TIME OFFENDERS, AND EXPANDED 
SURVEILLANCE AND SECURITY ALONG AMERICA'S SOUTHWEST BORDER, IN 
AMERICAN PORTS AND THROUGH WHAT IS KNOWN AS THE CARIBBEAN 
CORRIDOR.

MR. MCCAFFREY'S ASSESSMENT OF PROGRESS IN THE WAR ON DRUGS DREW 
CRITICISM FROM SEVERAL REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVES.  THE LAWMAKERS
SAID -- EVEN THOUGH DRUG USE IS LOWER TODAY THAN 20 YEARS AGO -- 
DRUG USE HAS SPIKED SHARPLY HIGHER SINCE 1992, THE YEAR BILL 
CLINTON WAS ELECTED PRESIDENT.  THE REPUBLICANS ACCUSED THE 
CLINTON ADMINISTRATION OF NEGLECTING THE WAR ON DRUGS AND 
EXPRESSED HOPE THAT, UNDER MR. MCCAFFREY'S GUIDANCE, A STRONGER 
BATTLE WILL BE WAGED.  SUBCOMMITTEE CHAIRMAN DENNIS HASTERT OF 
ILLINOIS SAID AMERICANS HAVE PAID DEARLY FOR THEIR NATION'S DRUG 
PROBLEM.

                       //  HASTERT ACT  //

         IN 1995, WE LOST AT LEAST 14-THOUSAND AMERICANS TO DRUGS
         AND DRUG VIOLENCE.  MOST OF THEM (WERE) KIDS.  IF WE HAD
         THAT TYPE OF LOSS IN IRAQ OR BOSNIA, THE PEOPLE OF THIS 
         COUNTRY WOULD BE SCREAMING.  AND, UNFORTUNATELY, WE 
         DON'T HEAR THAT SCREAMING IN THIS CASE BECAUSE IT 
         (DRUG-RELATED DEATH) HAPPENS ONE BY ONE AND A LOT OF 
         TIMES IN PRETTY DARK CORNERS.

                         //  END ACT  //

// BEG OPT //  ON ANOTHER MATTER, BARRY MCCAFFREY WAS ASKED ABOUT
AN ARTICLE IN THURSDAY'S NEW YORK TIMES NEWSPAPER.  THE TIMES 
QUOTES UNNAMED CLINTON ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS AS SAYING THEY 
SUSPECT DRUG CORRUPTION RUNS FAR DEEPER IN KEY MEXICAN 
INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS THE MILITARY THAN PREVIOUSLY BELIEVED.  ONE 
OFFICIAL IS QUOTED AS SAYING -- IF DRUG TRAFFICKERS HAVE 
CORRUPTED MEXICAN GENERALS -- THEN U-S ANTI-DRUG EFFORTS IN THE 
COUNTRY ARE AN EXERCISE IN FUTILITY.  THE DRUG CONTROL POLICY 
DIRECTOR ADMITTED CORRUPTION REMAINS A MAJOR PROBLEM IN MEXICO, 
BUT ADDED THAT HE IS CONFIDENT OF MEXICO'S COMMITMENT TO THE DRUG
WAR.



                      //  MCCAFFREY ACT  //

         I THINK THE EVIDENCE IS PRETTY CLEAR (OF) A CONTINUING 
         COMMITMENT ON BOTH SIDES OF THE (U-S / MEXICO) BORDER TO
         WORK IN COOPERATION,  TECHNOLOGY, TRAINING, INTELLIGENCE
         SHARING.  YOU CAN LOOK AT WHAT THEY'VE ACCOMPLISHED ON 
         COCAINE SEIZURES AND OPIUM CULTIVATION AND MARIJUANA 
         CULTIVATION RATES.  ALMOST ACROSS THE BOARD, THEY ARE 
         ACHIEVING, I THINK, SIGNIFICANT SUCCESSES.

                    //  END ACT, END OPT  //

MR. MCCAFFREY SAID HE EXPECTS ANTI-DRUG EFFORTS WILL BE DISCUSSED
IN DETAIL AT NEXT MONTH'S SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS IN SANTIAGO, 
CHILE.  THE DRUG CZAR SAID HE WILL ATTEND THE GATHERING AND 
CONSULT WITH OFFICIALS FROM THROUGHOUT THE HEMISPHERE BOTH DURING
AND AFTER THE SUMMIT.  (SIGNED)

NEB/MB/PLM



26-Mar-98 6:11 PM EST (2311 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.