ANTI-DRUG CAMPAIGN IS AIMED AT AMERICAN INDIANS

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Clinton administration unveiled a $2 million
advertising campaign Wednesday aimed at fighting drug abuse among
American Indians, who have the highest rates of drug use in the
country.

"I'm dismayed at how poorly we've responded to this problem," Clinton
drug control adviser Barry McCaffrey said. He spoke at a conference of
tribal leaders and substance abuse experts organized by the White House
and other government agencies.

A federal study released last week found that 19.6 percent of teen-age
American Indians used illicit drugs, the highest rate of any group in
the nation. The national average for those from 12 to 17 years old was
9 percent.

And although a lower percentage of Indians drink alcohol than the
general population, alcohol-related deaths among Indians of ages 15-24
are 17 times higher than the national average.

McCaffrey showed off anti-drug advertisements his office is backing
that will run in 79 tribal newspapers, eight national newspapers or
magazines and scores of radio stations.

The print ads include images of Indian fathers and sons, telling
readers to "pass down the traditions and communicate to our youth that
drugs are not part of our Native cultures."

"Doing drugs is not the Indian way," the young announcer in one of the
radio ads says.

Some tribal officials at the conference said the federal government is
not doing enough.

"What are we doing with the people that are making the Budweisers, the
Coors, that are killing us?" asked Lloyd Tortalita, governor of New
Mexico's Acoma Pueblo. "The people that we elect to Congress are taking
money from the alcohol makers. We will always have this problem with
alcohol as long as that happens."

McCaffrey said he agreed that alcohol abuse is America's top drug
problem.

"The alcohol industry has some political clout," McCaffrey said. "But I
don't think the solution to alcohol abuse lies in Congress. I think it
lies in the community."

McCaffrey said his office has given 14 grants to alcohol and drug
treatment or prevention programs for American Indians, and plans to
give an additional 10 next week. Those grants are all for $100,000 or
less and last up to three years.

"It's so hard to get grants when we have 500 other tribes to fight
with," Tortalita said. "When you do get a good program going, the grant
is only one to three years. We need more funding."

McCaffrey agreed and said some of the grants may need to be extended.