CITY ENTERS PACT TO HELP REDUCE ILLEGAL DRUG USE

Houston became the first city in the nation on Wednesday to enter into
an agreement with the federal government to develop a new
comprehensive plan designed to significantly reduce illegal drug use.

During a ceremony at Wortham Center downtown, the partnership
agreement between the city and the federal government was formally
signed by Mayor Lee Brown and Barry R. McCaffrey, director of the
Office of National Drug Control Policy.

"We're announcing today the first of its kind," said McCaffrey, the
nation's so-called drug czar. "To understand the (drug) problems and
attempt to solve them, we've got to organize ourselves at the
community level. We intend to use this (agreement) to produce
meaningful results."

The strategic plan, which includes bringing together local, state and
federal law enforcement and local social service agencies, will be
developed over the next year.

"We will tie together information systems, No. 1," McCaffrey said. "We
will develop performance targets together. We are going to try to
solve obstacles to a rational drug policy. This is the first such
effort to ... let the rest of the nation learn how a city successfully
pulled together drug-related partnerships."

Among those attending the ceremony was U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee,
D-Houston, who emphasized the plan will help Houston meet the National
Drug Control Strategy goal of reducing illegal drug use by 50 percent
by the year 2007.

"This is the first city that will hold itself accountable on the
issues of drug treatment and prevention and interdiction," said Lee,
who serves on the judiciary committee, which oversees funding for the
National Drug Control Policy.

When questioned later by reporters, McCaffrey wasn't certain why
Houston was selected to develop the plan with the federal government.

He did say: "Houston will be a learning tool to find out how we can
assist the community in understanding the problems, collecting data
and developing standards."

Ray A. Andrews, the director of Houston Crackdown, the city's
anti-drug community coalition, believes Houston was selected because
the city has a history of coming together to fight drug abuse.

"This agreement means a lot," Andrews said. "This will help catapult
some projects we've had on the front burner."

Two states, Oregon and Maryland, have entered into agreements of
understanding to work with the Office of National Drug Control Policy
to develop comprehensive working plans to combat illegal use.

McCaffrey said his office is talking to Texas officials and other
states to consider similar agreements.

Texas got $254 million in federal funds to fight illegal drug use last
year, McCaffrey said.

"Now the question is where did it go? Were performance measures
effective? And how was it being integrated? Is it producing results?"
he asked. "The answer is yes. But, there's room for considerable
improvement."

McCaffrey said federal expenditures have significantly increased in
recent years for drug abuse prevention, while illegal drug use has
decreased in the United States.

However, he added, "it's a big problem, all over the country. Most
Houston young people don't use drugs. But, unfortunately, over 50
percent of Houston high school students reported marijuana use at
least once in their lifetimes. There were 56 deaths in Harris County
in a single month in which drugs were detected."

McCaffrey said the Houston plan "will not necessarily" involve
redirecting any federal funds that the state receives to fight drug
use.

Brown, who preceded McCaffrey as the nation's drug czar,
added:

"We all share a common goal of ridding the streets of Houston of the
detrimental influences of drugs on our community, particularly our
children. This partnership agreement that we're signing marks an
important step in achieving that goal."