Former White House Drug Spokesman Bob Weiner Says Bush Reverses Drug Use Reductions

9/5/2002

From: Bob Weiner or Joe Hammer, 301-283-0821 or 202-329-1700 both of Robert Weiner Associates

WASHINGTON, Sept. 5 -- The following was released today by Robert Weiner Associates:

-- Former White House Drug Spokesman Bob Weiner Says Respected Household Survey Shows Bush Administration Reverses Clinton Years' Drug Use Reductions; Bush Must Support Bipartisan Clinton Drug Efforts Like Media Campaign

Bob Weiner, spokesman for the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, 1995-2001, said that "a new survey today indicates that drug use has gone up significantly during the first full year of the Bush Administration, and that the new administration needs to quit laying blame and start supporting successful Clinton era bipartisan drug programs such as the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign." Weiner stated:

"For the first time since the end of President Clinton's first term, drug use has gone up significantly in the first full year of the Bush Administration. 7.1 percent of the population used an illicit drug in the month prior to the survey, compared to 6.3 percent the previous year -- a 12.7 percent increase among actual users. The new data comes from the highly respected Household Survey of the Department of HHS, released today.

"Under Drug Czar McCaffrey, in Clinton's last term, drug use was stable and dropped slightly -- including a 23 percent reduction among teens. It's time that the Bush Administration stops laying blame at the supposed mistakes of the past decade -- to which they of course mean the Clinton Administration policies -- and starts supporting those programs which made and can still make a real difference, such as the landmark Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign.

"The media campaign's current focus on linking drugs and terrorism is not the effective tool of the direct prevention education ads which General McCaffrey and President Clinton put on the air and which had such a positive impact.

"In addition, the comprehensive strategy first offered by General McCaffrey of education, prevention, treatment, law enforcement, and foreign policy initiatives must continue to be funded in full. The out-year treatment budget increases by President Bush are disingenuous and misleading. The $1.5 billion increase in treatment and research he is proposing will not be mostly funded for five years -- leaving the actual decision to the next administration," Weiner concluded.

After six years at the White House Drug Office, Weiner is now President of a public affairs and issue strategy company, Robert Weiner Associates.