Pubdate: Wed, 13 Feb 2002 Source: New York Post (NY) Copyright: 2002 N.Y.P. Holdings, Inc. Contact: http://nypostonline.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/296 Author: Deborah Orin Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?179 (Nadelmann, Ethan) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?203 (Terrorism) TERROR WAR TARGETS DRUGS February 13, 2002 -- President Bush pitched fighting illegal drug use as a patriotic way to combat terrorism yesterday as he vowed a 25 percent cut in drug use in the next five years - or he'll take the blame. "Make no mistake about it. If you're buying illegal drugs in America it is likely that money is going to end up in the hands of terrorist organizations," Bush said. He noted that Afghanistan produced 70 percent of the world's opium and said that meant "significant" money for "harboring and feeding and hiding" those who attacked America on Sept. 11. Bush also took a jab at ex-President Bill Clinton in a report to Congress that said drug use among high-school seniors showed "steady" drops from 1985 to 1992 - but "in recent years we have lost ground." Clinton took office in 1993. The "progress" praised by Bush covered his father's term as president and the final years of Ronald Reagan's term after his wife Nancy launched the "Just say no" campaign in 1983. Bush stressed that he'll measure results by the numbers and hold himself accountable - "I'll be measured first" - for reducing illegal drug use by 10 percent in the next two years and 25 percent in five years. "I'm the kind of fellow that likes to say, 'What are the results?' " said Bush, who has also pressed to measure schools by test scores. Bush's terror theme was tried out in three Super Bowl TV ads aimed at teens that cost $3.5 million and ask where terrorists get their money, then reply: "If you buy drugs, some of it might come from you." But Ethan Nadelman of the Drug Policy Alliance - which favors legalization of marijuana - dismissed the anti-terror theme: "It's a joke." Nadelman agreed "every violent political organization in the world is making money out of the drug trade" but said that won't help teen users stop - although it might spur them to grow their own marijuana. Bush also called for a slight increase in drug-treatment funds - $3.8 billion or a 6 percent increase, especially targeted at "the most vulnerable" people like pregnant moms, the homeless and people with AIDS. And he vowed to "fire up" parents "to do their jobs" and promote responsibility instead of "if it feels good, do it" - by telling their kids not to take drugs. - --- MAP posted-by: Josh