Pubdate: Tue, 11 Jun 2002 Source: Wilmington Morning Star (NC) Copyright: 2002 Wilmington Morning Star Contact: http://www.wilmingtonstar.com Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/500 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/campaign.htm (ONDCP Media Campaign) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/dare.htm (D.A.R.E.) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization) GETTING REALISTIC ABOUT DRUGS President Bush's new drug czar might get somewhere. He's had the courage to point out that anti-drug advertising hasn't worked. In fact, it might have backfired. Nobody seems to know why. But John P. Walters, who recently took over the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy, is taking at least one step that makes sense. He wants to test all anti-drug ads for effectiveness. That's routine for other kinds of advertising, but not for drug ads. Maybe that's one reason they haven't worked. Because they haven't, federal taxpayers have wasted close to $1 billion that might have been spent on more effective anti-drug efforts. Treatment comes to mind. Mr. Walters wants to give ads one more year, and perhaps that's worth a try. The question is whether he's ready to talk about another dangerous truth: the similar lack of evidence supporting DARE, a program popular with schools, parents and law-enforcement agencies. Of course, the real question that few Americans - and fewer politicians - want to ask is whether it is practical or wise to outlaw drugs the way we tried to outlaw alcohol. Might it make more sense to legalize and regulate some drugs, and offer treatment for users and addicts, instead of fighting a losing battle? A battle that creates huge profits for criminals, corrupt officials and terrorists? Maybe not. But serious people ought to think about it and brave people ought to talk about it. Mr. Walters? - --- MAP posted-by: Ariel