EX-'DRUG CZAR' TAKES AIM AT SUBSTANCE ABUSE

Retired general Barry McCaffrey was a commanding presence as head of the
U.S. Army's Southern Command in Panama. But it was in his civilian role as
former White House Drug Czar that McCaffrey made his greatest impact, in
the war against substance abuse at home.

"After five years working for President Clinton to combat this problem,
certain challenges became clear," says McCaffrey. "Two of the most daunting
are providing effective drug prevention education to youth and the lack of
treatment options available to most Americans who need help with their
addictions."

With the New Year come new opportunities to find help for the estimated 16
million people in the USA who currently need drug and alcohol treatment.
Yet only 3 million people receive the services they desperately need. Of
the millions who contact traditional treatment centers, only 20% ever begin
a treatment program.

McCaffrey emphasizes that the problem of addiction won't go away through
wishful thinking. And in a difficult economy, many at-risk people will
struggle even more with their addictive behavior or with trying to stay
clean and sober.

This past fall, Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson released
the findings of the 2000 National Survey on Drug Abuse. Interviews with
over 71,000 Americans indicated that overall, current use of illicit drugs
is unchanged. In particular:

An estimated 14 million Americans are illicit drug users. Three percent of
youth aged 12-13 used drugs, but the rate rises to 19.6% of those aged 18-20.

Almost half of the population drinks alcohol, increasing from 2.4% at age
12 to a peak of 65.2% of 21-year-olds.

Heavy drinking was reported by 5.6% of respondents, translating to 12.6
million people.

The good news, according to officials at the Office of National Drug
Control Policy, is that illicit drug use among those aged 12-13 decreased
over the past year from 3.9 to 3.0%. This age group is a key target
audience of the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign, because delayed
initiation into drug use has shown to have long-term positive effects.

"Of youths 14 and under who start using marijuana, almost 11% will develop
a drug or alcohol dependency as an adult," says McCaffrey. "Of those
starting to use marijuana after the age of 18, only 2% end up with this
problem."

Reinforcements

"The Household Survey reinforces what other bodies of research have shown
us for years: parents are the most effective tools for preventing drug
abuse," says Edward Jurith, acting director of the Office of National Drug
Control Policy.

This year's survey found that youth who believed their parents "strongly
disapproved" of marijuana only used illicit drugs at a rate of 7.1%. Those
who believed their parents "did not strongly disapprove" had a 31.2% rate
of drug use. Data also demonstrated that 33% of the children of current
drug users use drugs themselves.

"As parents, we have to make our message clear and serve as examples
ourselves," says McCaffrey. "But kids don't respond to threats or
exaggeration."

McCaffrey says that instead, parents should get the facts about the
real-life consequences of substance abuse from a reputable medical
authority and help adolescents feel they've reached their own decision to
not abuse drugs or alcohol.

"You tell your kids, 'We don't approve of this behavior, and here's why,'"
says McCaffrey. "But you have to give this information in a positive way:
'Okay now you know the facts, and we have confidence you'll make the right
decision.'"

Experts stress that if an adolescent doesn't believe he or she has made
their own decision to remain drug-free, the battle can be ultimately
futile. "Teens are developmentally at a point where they're in the process
of incorporating their own beliefs," says McCaffrey. "Even when the message
is conveyed optimally, there will be a certain percentage of kids who will
make the wrong decisions."

Cyber-mission

For youths and adults in the grip of chemical dependency, finding help
isn't always easy. Barry Karlin, CEO of eGetgoing, an Internet delivery
treatment program, says that historical barriers to those seeking
assistance frustrate many individuals who are truly motivated to finding a
way out of their addictions.

"Problems with affordability, convenience, social stigma, and lack of
capacity in many facilities result in many people being denied the crucial
treatment that can change their lives," says Karlin.

McCaffrey, who is a paid consultant for eGetgoing, says that online
treatment has found its therapeutic niche in the spectrum of effective
treatment options. "While online treatment for substance abuse is no
substitute for those who need residential care, it can introduce people to
the principles of recovery and provide an essential lifeline to those in
continuing care," says McCaffrey.

The goal of online treatment is to allow early intervention for those at
risk for developing a problem, and to identify those individuals who
absolutely need residential care, says McCaffrey. "A crucial service this
system also offers is providing a means of continuing care for those who've
already received initial treatment."

Indeed, experience has shown that continued participation in 12-step
programs and related support groups is essential to maintaining a clean and
sober lifestyle.

"Those with serious addiction problems need a minimum of 60-90 days of
residential care, a full year of very close supervision and support through
Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous, and five years of regular
participation in a related continuing care environment," says McCaffrey.

"The biggest problem is getting patients in the door," says McCaffrey.
"Then the challenge becomes providing a way for people to easily connect
with one another during their path to recovery."

While lifetime success in sobriety is measured one patient and one day at a
time, McCaffrey is optimistic about the future of alcohol and drug
treatment. "I've seen that in the middle of despair, there's always hope.
And every day I believe we're learning better ways to deal with the
pervasive nemesis of addiction."