DRUG CZAR UPBEAT IN FINAL REPORT

Knight Ridder Newspapers

WASHINGTON Drug use among teens is down 21 percent during the last two
years, but steroids and club drugs such as ecstasy are increasingly popular
with young Americans, according to drug control policy chief Barry
McCaffrey's final annual report.

McCaffrey, who leaves office today after five years as director of national
drug policy, gave a largely positive appraisal Thursday of national trends
and attitudes toward drug use, and said he's optimistic that the Bush
administration will continue initiatives on prevention and treatment that
he has pushed.

"Drug-related murders are down by half, and adolescent drug use is in
decline," McCaffrey said at a White House briefing. "I can't imagine that
there isn't widespread unanimity that we need to continue prevention,
education and treatment. I'm very upbeat about the new team."

But McCaffrey warned about the "explosive increase" in designer or club
drugs such as methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), commonly called
ecstasy. Several surveys showed nearly a doubling of its use by high school
students in the last two years.

"They think it's a dance-all-night, feel-good drug," said McCaffrey, adding
that users don't realize it can permanently impair brain functions. His
report cited another danger, especially visible in Florida: "Growing
numbers of users, primarily in the Miami and Orlando areas, combine MDMA
with heroin, a practice known as 'rolling.' If this trend continues, MDMA
may become a 'gateway' drug that leads to the consumption of other substances."

McCaffrey said steroid use also has increased in recent years among youths
who want to excel at high school sports or "even Little League baseball."

By contrast, a collection of surveys of household use and emergency room
reports shows a 21 percent decline in overall drug use by kids 12 to 17
since 1997. The surveys show that overall rates of use for cocaine and
heroin have stabilized since 1992, while young adults' use of marijuana has
increased.

McCaffrey credited more effective education campaigns and community-based
programs, a factor cited by President Clinton.

"Adolescents increasingly disapprove of illegal drugs, and a growing number
are using positive peer pressure to help friends stay away from drugs,"
Clinton said in a statement.