Pubdate: Thu, 11 Apr 2002
Source: Cincinnati Enquirer (OH)
Copyright: 2002 The Cincinnati Enquirer
Contact:  http://enquirer.com/today/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/86
Author: Cindy Kranz
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/walters.htm (Walters, John)

U.S. DRUG CHIEF WAVES THE FLAG

Thousands Attend International Conference In Cincinnati

The nation's drug czar on Wednesday unveiled a new tool in the war against 
alcohol and other drugs - patriotism.

John Walters, director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, told 
the Pride World Drug Prevention Conference that illegal drug trafficking is 
helping fund at least 12 terrorist groups.

"Drugs are not only dangerous for you and your friends," he said. "It's bad 
for your country and bad for people who want to live in peace and democracy."

Mr. Walters spoke to 4,500 teens and adults attending the opening day of 
the four-day conference at the Albert B. Sabin Cincinnati Convention 
Center. Pride, the sponsoring organization, takes its name from the acronym 
for Parents' Resource Institute for Drug Education.

The 25th anniversary event provides training to prevent use of tobacco, 
alcohol and illegal drugs among adolescents.

As drug czar, Mr. Walters promises to reduce drug use among adults and 
teens by 10 percent in two years and by 25 percent in five years.

"It begins with prevention," he said. "We know if you don't become involved 
in drug use as a teenager, you're very unlikely to have abuse or addiction 
problems later."

Today, an estimated 4.7 million people are drug-dependent. Of those, 23 
percent are estimated to be teenagers.

Marijuana is the most misunderstood drug, Mr. Walters said, because it's 
peddled as harmless. Sixty-five percent of drug-dependent people have a 
primary or secondary dependence on marijuana.

"Marijuana is two-thirds of the addiction problem in America today .... We 
have too many people trapped in addiction to marijuana because they thought 
it couldn't happen, or they were told it couldn't happen. That's the lie 
you have to help us change."

Latoya Keith, a 16-year-old Taft High School junior, has already made the 
decision to stay drug-free.

"I don't want anything to go wrong with my body. I already have heart 
problems. I don't want to die at any early age. I have a lot of things I 
want to do."

Carl McMullen, 16, of Madisonville is learning ways to deal with peer 
pressure. The junior at Purcell Marian High School has chosen to stay clean 
because he plays sports.

"I just want to be drug- and alcohol-free so I can play to the best of my 
ability."

The conference, which continues through Saturday, will bring $4.2 million 
into the local economy.

Conventioneers are here from all 50 states and 10 other countries as far 
away as India.

"I had a tremendous amount of pressure (from boycott organizers) to 
cancel," said Jay DeWispelaere, president and chief executive officer of 
Pride Youth Programs, the conference sponsor.

"We think, frankly, that youth are part of the process of healing. By 
seeing all these young people from all races and all backgrounds come 
together, what better example for Cincinnati?"
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager