FOX LAUNCHES NATIONWIDE WAR TO HALT DRUG ABUSE, CULTIVATION

MEXICO CITY -- President Vicente Fox pledged Monday to launch an all-out
war on the drug trade, saying his administration would go beyond nabbing
drug lords and take on drug consumption and production in Mexico.

Mexico has long been a haven for drug smugglers moving their goods into the
United States. But since Fox took office two years ago, his administration
has arrested several high-profile cartel leaders -- including one of the
country's most-wanted criminals, Benjamin Arellano Felix.

The president said Monday that officials must do more to halt the growing
problem of drug abuse and cultivation in Mexico.

"This is a war that we have to fight on all fronts," he said. "It's not
enough to attack the supply. We must also stop the growth of demand."

Fox said his Cabinet members would spend the next four years -- the
remainder of his term -- working to stop smuggling at all levels, including
arresting drug lords and preventing children from becoming consumers.

Authorities are targeting all drug cartels -- not just one region or one
group, Attorney General Rafael Macedo de la Concha said. In the past,
corrupt officials have focused on combatting one group while taking bribes
from others.

Macedo said Mexico would work toward even greater cooperation with
drug-enforcement agencies from the United States and other countries that
suffer from the drug trade. U.S. officials have praised Fox's efforts to
fight the drug trade.

Fox and members of his Cabinet promised to continue to purge corrupt
officials from the government's ranks, arresting anyone caught helping the
drug trade and forcing them to face justice.

On Friday, a military court convicted Gen. Francisco Quiros and Brig. Gen.
Arturo Acosta of helping move cocaine and marijuana through Mexico. Fox
called the convictions "without precedent in the history of our country."

"Never before has a military court convicted such high-ranking officials of
drug smuggling," he said. "With actions such as this, the army is
demonstrating once again it is an institution of unquestionable integrity
that is committed to transparency."

For years, Mexican officials let the drug trade thrive, with the money it
generated supporting everyone from the poor farmers who grew marijuana to
cartel leaders who smuggled planeloads of cocaine into the United States.

Mexico's new war includes a focus on helping Mexicans who have long had
little choice but to participate in the drug trade -- either for financial
reasons or because of pressure from drug lords. Officials want to improve
education and create jobs to lure people away from drugs or prevent their
use, Social Development Secretary Josefina Vazquez said.

"We must make sure that real opportunities exist and we must strengthen the
social fabric, the autonomy and the dignity of people," she said.

While Mexico has long battled drug smugglers, drug abuse has also grown.
The national program outlined Monday offered the first comprehensive effort
at battling consumption -- something Mexico usually says the United States
must do. Officials promised to do more to help addicts.

Macedo said he would continue efforts at extraditing drug lords to the
United States, while sharing information on the drug trade with authorities
worldwide.

The fight is important not just to halt the drug trade, he said, but to
stop the underworld of terrorists and other illegal activity it creates.
"Never again will we be hostages to criminal organizations," Macedo said.
"United we will triumph."