FEDERAL ANTI-DRUG CAMPAIGN OMITS ALCOHOL ABUSE

Some days it seems the only reason to read the newspaper is to experience
the unbelievable)Even with the available statistics,educated people on a
government committee, afraid it would "water down" their message against
illicit drugs, voted against adding alcohol to the government's anti-drug
messages. The truth is an anti-underage drinking message could dam the
raging river that leads to drug use.

The educated people I speak of are those on the Appropriations Committee of
the House, which voted against the Wolf/Roybal-Allard amendment, which
proposed including the dangers of under-age alcohol use in the national
anti-drug media campaign.

It's puzzling why an act of Congress was required in the first place simple
to include underage drinking in the national anti-drug media campaign.

Why would anyone not want to warn about the dangers of drinking, especially
underage drinking?

Alcohol use can lead to abuse which can lead to death.

Statistics show that among youth, alcohol use is more popular than drug use.
According to a 1997 study be the National Institute on Drug Abuse, "82
percent of high school seniors have used alcohol; in comparison, 65 percent
have smoked cigarettes; 50 percent have used marijuana; and 9 percent have
used cocaine." In one day about 10 million Americans of all ages had more
than five drinks.

Almost 3 million adolescents, i.e., underage, drinkers, experienced problems
with alcohol. ("Alcohol:Chemistry & Culture" 1994).

Statistics are more than numbers, they are part of a story.

In 1997 the final chapter was written in the story of my brother's life. He
had begun drinking at age 15 or 16. We didn't worry about it too much. Like
other families we thought "it's only beer and he only drank at weekend
parties." No one warned us that that's how the problems start.

The first time Paul drank on a Monday was when our father died and the last
time he was truly sober for the next 15 years, until his death.

Statistics don't tell us why the numbers are the way they are, just that
they are. DARE programs and media campaigns didn't exist when my brother was
younger.

Wouldn't it be better to have tried and failed than not to try at all?

Perhaps the numbers are lower for drug use because of a successful media
campaign. If that's the case, why not use the same successful campaign
against alcohol?

Perhaps the numbers are higher for alcohol use because people just don't
know about the dangers.

Many teens feel invincible. The old "that'll never happen to me" ideology
has a stronghold on our youth. Why not tell them they're not invincible? Not
everyone will believe it but why not take the chance that some will.

The office of Gen. Barry McCaffrey, director of national drug policy,
reported that he doesn't have the authority to add anti-alcohol messages to
its media campaign due to costs.

How much could it cost to say "talk to your children about drugs - and
alcohol"? Instead of what's being spent, why not focus on what's being
saved?

First off, money spent on re-hab, counseling and funerals.

There are re-have and counseling programs partially funded by federal
dollars but the burden of paying for a funeral falls on the family.

What if Gen. McCaffrey were to be told in a dream that adding underage
drinking to the national anti-drug media campaign would've saved a life.
What do you think he'd say to the parents, big brothers and little sisters
who lost a loved one to the disease of alcoholism? A disease that can be
brought on by one drink, one traumatizing circumstance, one lonely day in a
teen's life. What do you think he would've said to me on the day I buried my
brother?

Indeed what could anyone say?

The White House includes as one of its goals to "educate and enable
America's youth to reject illegal drugs as well as alcohol and tobacco."
Then why was alcohol left out of the campaign?

Roybal-Allard did not seek to change the message that illicit drugs are
wrong at any age, but if the ads ask parents to talk to their kids about
drugs why not simply add two words - "and alcohol." Is a 30-second tag at
the end of an effective commercial against drug use too much to ask?

Apparently so.