TEEN DRUGS PREVENTION PROPER USE OF TRUST FUND

Attorney General Mike Moore has found it easy to "just say no" to various uses proposed for the state's $4.1 billion 1997 lawsuit settlement with Big Tobacco.

But he's right wanting to use some of the money to fight teen drug and alcohol abuse.

In meeting with the Joint Legislative Budget Committee that is planning next year's state budget, Moore said new programs to fight teen substance abuse could be blended with the state's teen anti-tobacco effort.

"Drug use has tripled in some of our schools in the past seven or eight years," he said. "I think we've dropped the ball."

He couldn't say how much it would cost to expand his office's already successful teen anti-smoking campaign, but it's clear that such a program — at least to educate teens about the ill effects of drugs and alcohol — is needed.

Moore said recently that 51 percent of Mississippi teens in grades 9-12 report using alcohol within the last 30 days. Every year in Mississippi, 125 teens die in traffic crashes and about 35 deaths are alcohol related.

Also, it cannot escape notice that drug and alcohol abuse fuels criminality, from property crimes to murder, in addition to drug possession and resale crimes. It's estimated that up to 90 percent of Mississippi's prison inmates are incarcerated for drug-or alcohol-related offenses.

The 1999 Legislature was wise to create the tobacco trust fund to keep the $4.1 billion as the principal for interest payments to fund health-related projects.

Expanding the teen anti-tobacco program falls within the legislative intent of the fund.