INTERVIEW WITH JOHN WALTERS

HIGHLIGHT: In the ongoing war on drugs, the federal government today is
claiming a significant victory. A newly released survey found drug use
among teenagers had declined 11 percent over the past two years. That
exceeds the White House's target of 10 percent.

CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: In the ongoing war on drugs, the federal
government today is claiming a significant victory. A newly released
survey found drug use among teenagers had declined 11 percent over the past
two years. That exceeds the White House's target of 10 percent.

To offer some insight into the latest figures, our guest this morning, John
Walters. He is director of the White House Office of National Drug Control
Policy. Thanks for being with us this morning. Let's get down to some
specifics...

JOHN WALTERS, DIRECTOR, WHITE HOUSE OFFICE OF NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL POLICY:
I 'm sorry, I'm not hearing the program.

CALLAWAY: Can you hear me?

We obviously have a problem with our connection with him. We're going to
take a break. We'll come back and speak with him in just a moment. Stay
with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CALLAWAY: As we told you before the break, a newly-released survey found
that drug use among teenagers dropped significantly, some 11 percent over
the last couple of years, this according to a new survey. And we have with
us this morning the director of the White House Office of National Drug
Control Policy, John Walters. We apologize far bad connection a moment
ago. Thanks for being with us this morning.

WALTERS: My pleasure. Thanks.

CALLAWAY: Let's go over a little bit first, just to refresh everyone's
memory about this survey. 11 percent reduction in drug use among 8th, 10th
and 12th graders, is that right?

WALTERS: That's correct. It means between 2001 and 2003, essentially we
have 400,000 fewer young people using drugs. It's great, not only for
them, but it is also great for our future, and it's across multiple
drugs. Ecstasy dropped 50 percent, LSD use had been climbing, dropped 60
percent. Also alcohol, teenage drinking and cigarette smoking are also
down. So it's great news. It's a broad trend.

The president set a two-year goal of a 10 percent reduction. He's also set
a five-year goal with 25 percent reduction. So he's challenged us to
follow through.

CALLAWAY: John, this is just one survey, though, and you are relying on
teenagers to tell the truth about illegal behavior. How much can you rely
on this survey?

WALTERS: Well, this area is consistent with other measures. It's not the
only survey we've had in the field. And for about 18 months we began to
see signs of change. This is also the most extensive long-term survey
we've had. It goes back, it's the 29th year of this survey. So the trends
as it's predicted, good news and bad news, in the past have been borne
out. So every instrument is one instrument, but this is the best we have
and it's been very reliable in the past.

CALLAWAY: You know, you say it concurs with other surveys, but the
privately funded Pride Survey that was released back in August certainly
told a different story. It showed a sharp rise in monthly drug use among
junior high students. And in the past, that survey, the Pride Survey
normally corresponds with the survey that you're talking about, the
National Institute Survey. So how do you, you know, explain the difference
between these two surveys?

WALTERS: Yes, people shouldn't be misled about dueling surveys. The Pride
Survey is not a random sample, it's the schools, it's a sample of schools
that chose to use that survey. The other surveys we have have been random
samples, and I think you see in those results. Also the, for example, such
a survey results here -- the declines that we saw, for example, in LSD,
we've seen that reflected in the last 18 months, emergency room cases
involving this drug declined. We need larger movements to see some of
these things, but I don't think there's much question that we've begun to
see it.

But again, this is not an effort to declare we're done. The president, and
I think parents, are aware we have too many young people who are
compromising their futures and putting themselves at risk. We want to fix
that.

CALLAWAY: It would seem that the survey, the results of the survey, would
depend on which age group you talk to, which area of the country you talk to.

WALTERS: It does, to some degree. Some parts of the country are affected
more by some drugs. For example, it's nice to see that amphetamine use has
declined in this survey by young people by 13 percent lifetime
exposure. Some parts of the country have been more affected, but overall I
think the trends are pretty broad, pretty deep. But again, it's the
largest decline we've seen in ten years, but again, we need to follow through.

And what it shows is when we push back, when young people make the right
decisions, it has an effect on their peers, just as when they make wrong
decisions it can have a detrimental effect on their peers. And I think it's
a credit to young people and adults that are working with them in schools,
in families, in athletic leagues, and to everybody who's lent a hand in
communities across this country.

CALLAWAY: All right, John. John Walters thank you very much for being with
us, and again, we apologize about that technical glitch we had a little bit
earlier. But thank you for getting up and being with us this morning.

WALTERS: No problem. Happy holidays.

CALLAWAY: You, too.