NORML News - June 20, 2002
Carl E. Olsen
NORML News Release - June 20, 2002
1001 Connecticut Ave, NW - Ste 710 - Washington, DC 20036
Tel. 202.483.8751 - Fax 202.483.0057 - E-mail found...@norml.org -
Internet www.norml.org
June 20, 2002
Drug Czar Promises Changes In Feds' Anti-Drug Media Campaign After
Congressional Grilling
Admits Program Isn't Working, But Demands Congress Fund It Anyway
U-Penn Review Calls Ad Campaign Greatest Failure In Public Communication
Campaign History
Washington, DC: Drug Czar John Walters requested yesterday that members of
a Senate appropriations subcommittee continue funding the White House's $1.8
billion anti-drug ad campaign - even though the ads have failed to
discourage teens from using drugs, and have been associated with increasing
drug use among frequent viewers.
Walters told Senators that he intends to overhaul the campaign by
quantitatively testing new ads before they air, targeting older teens, and
shifting the campaign's focus from polydrug use to marijuana only. Walters
promised drastically improved results by as early as fall 2002 if Congress
okays funding for the program at present levels - a staggering $180 million
per year.
Members of Congress appeared skeptical of Walters' claims - particularly
after a federally-commissioned review by Westat Inc. and The Annenberg
Public Policy Center for the University of Pennsylvania found the
five-year-old program has had no favorable effects on youths' attitudes or
drug use. In some cases, authors noted that repeated viewing of the ads
might even stimulate the use of certain drugs.
Robert Hornik, co-investigator of the report, testified that the poor
results were surprising given the history of similar public communication
campaigns. "There is no other published evidence that we know about that
shows a negative effect like this of a large-scale campaign," he said.
NORML's Keith Stroup called the campaign's failure predictable. "As long as
our government insists on pushing 'reefer madness' instead of honest
information, these ads will continue to have a negative impact on teens," he
said.
"Rather than continue down this failed path, federal officials ought to take
a page from their more successful campaigns to discourage drunk driving and
teen tobacco smoking - both of which we have significantly reduced in recent
years. We have not achieved this by banning the use of alcohol and tobacco,
or by targeting and arresting adults who use them responsibly, but through
honest education campaigns. We should apply these same principles to the
responsible use of marijuana."
For more information, please contact Keith Stroup or Paul Armentano of NORML
at (202) 483-5500.
Hemp Cultivation, Pot Decriminalization Initiatives Appear Likely On
November State Ballots
Pierre, South Dakota: South Dakotans will likely vote this fall on an
initiative to lift state criminal restrictions on the possession and
production of industrial hemp. The Secretary of State's office notified
initiative proponents on Monday that they had turned in sufficient
signatures to place the question on the November ballot, according to Bob
Newland of SoDakNorml and the South Dakota Industrial Hemp Council, which
sponsored the measure.
If approved by the voters, the South Dakota Industrial Hemp Act (certified
as Initiated Law No. 1) would allow farmers to possess and cultivate
marijuana consisting of no more than one percent THC for fiber, food and
other commercial purposes. A 2001 statewide voters' poll showed that 85
percent of South Dakotans support allowing farmers to grow hemp. The South
Dakota Farmers Union also supports the measure.
Over 30 nations, including Canada, Japan and the European Union, license
farmers to grow hemp for industrial purposes. Presently, three states -
North Dakota, Montana and West Virginia - have enacted laws legally defining
industrial hemp as an agricultural crop distinct from marijuana. Federal
law, however, makes no such distinction and prohibits any cultivation of
hemp without federal authorization.
Carson City, Nevada: Statewide proponents of an initiative that seeks to
remove the threat of arrest for pot possession turned in nearly twice the
number of signatures necessary to qualify for the November ballot. That
proposal, sponsored by Nevadans for Responsible Law Enforcement, would amend
Nevada's constitution so that possession of up to three ounces of marijuana
by individuals 21 years of age or older would no longer be an arrestable
offense.
If the Secretary of State validates the initiative for the ballot, voters
would have to approve the measure this November and again in 2004 before it
would become part of the Nevada constitution. Nevada voters approved an
initiative legalizing the possession and use of medical marijuana in 1998
and 2000.
For more information, please contact either Keith Stroup or Paul Armentano
of NORML at (202) 483-5500. For more information on the South Dakota
Industrial Hemp Act, please visit: http://www.sodaknorml.org.
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