BUSH, DRUG CZAR UNVEIL 3-PRONGED BATTLE PLAN

(ST. PETERSBURG) - Gov. Bush stressed prevention during a news
conference about how to battle drug use in the state.

Gov. Jeb Bush and his drug control czar, James McDonough, announced a
plan Friday aimed at cutting Florida's drug use in half by 2005.

Bush detailed a three-pronged approach to the state's war on drugs,
focusing on prevention, treatment and law enforcement.

During a news conference at St. Petersburg's Operation PAR, a
nonprofit drug prevention and treatment center, Bush said reducing the
state's drug use and increasing student achievement are his top
priorities as governor.

The governor's St. Petersburg stop was part of a whirlwind campaign
Friday to pitch the plan, including news conferences in Orlando and
outside Miami. Bush said he stopped in St. Petersburg because he
believes Operation PAR, which stands for Parental Awareness and
Responsibility, should be a model for the state.

``Drugs are at the core of many of the the problems we face in the
state,'' he told an audience of schoolchildren and supporters.
``Visualize a state that says `enough of this.' ''

Bush said he has earmarked $540 million for drug control in his
1999-2000 budget - a 12.1 percent increase over 1998-1999.

Of that, $27.8 million in new money is going into drug abuse treatment
programs, $39.1 million into tobacco awareness campaigns; $2.9 million
to drug law enforcement; $1.4 million into programs for infants born
to drug-addicted mothers; almost $1 million into drug prosecution and
control, and $786,000 into a youth drug survey.

Florida has an estimated 1 million drug users, or about 8 percent of
the population, according to the state's Office of Drug Control.
Nationally, about 6 percent of the population are drug users.

McDonough said Florida's drug problem is probably the worst in the
country.

``Prevention is the single most important thing you can ever do,'' he
said. ``Because if you can stop a child from ever using drugs, you're
home free.''