DRUG OFFICE DESERVING OF PRAISE

I do not agree with the recent News-Press editorial criticizing the Office
of National Drug Control Policy in its effort to stem drug abuse through
anti-drug messages run in the various media.

This policy, while not showing immediate results, will in time produce
great results. The government is on the right track.

Changing the psychology of drug attraction takes time. But the impact of
persistent media advertising is so well known that billions of dollars are
spent every year advertising products. Advertising experts know that
persistence always pays off. The more advertising a company does, the
greater the impact. The News-Press certainly knows this to be true; it's
livelihood depends on it.

I don't think the government should have to give financial credits in
return for anti-drug ads. The media should run them persistently and often
as a pure public service. After all, the media is responsible for a large
part of the problem with it's pro-drug programming.

As for spending money on "community education," isn't that what the
anti-drug ads are doing. The ads are being shown in every community.

Pro-drug programming in the TV media comes from people who financially
support pro-drug programming by buying the advertised products. The money
for drug-promoting movies and drug-promoting music comes from people who
buy tickets and buy recordings. These are the people who need more treatment.

The money supporting the drug cartels comes largely from recreational
users, many of them very wealthy. A little jailhouse treatment would help
with this group. But it doesn't happen. Instead, we make heroes out of
celebrities that give up drugs after they have poured millions of dollars
into the drug cartels.

When is the last time you read about a drug party in a wealthy neighborhood
being raided? I can't think of one instance.

We should all support Gen. McCaffery and his Office of National Drug
Control Policy for their efforts in attacking the drug problem where it
starts -- in the minds of human beings.

Clifford E. Jordan

Solvang