BUSH NAMES DRUGS TSAR

President George W. Bush nominated a tough-on-crime "drug tsar" yesterday
and announced new efforts to cut use of illegal narcotics in the US.

John Walters, named to head the Office of National Drug Control Policy, has
held several top posts in the agency in the past. But the appointment will
be controversial.

Mr Walters has argued against the three "greatest urban myths of our time"
- - that too many people are imprisoned for drug use; that drug sentences are
too harsh, and that the system is unjustly punishing young black men.

The president yesterday promised to focus "unprecedented attention" on
demand reduction and train parents in "effective drug prevention."