YOU ASKED

Figures In Anti-drug Ads Are Familiar With Pot

U.S. drug czar Barry McCaffrey is spending millions educating us on
drug use. You've no doubt seen the young man telling us how his life
went to hell because of pot. What I want to know is, is the guy real
or an actor? If he is the latter, how much did he get paid? Has he
ever smoked the heinous herb?

Jim Hilsabeck
San Jose

He is not an actor. The folks at the federal National Drug Control
Policy, of which McCaffrey is director, said they filmed several
people with similar stories, none of them actors, and hoped their
messages would be effective in deterring drug abuse. Most of the
people who agreed to make the films have smoked the "heinous herb."
Those who have agreed to be a part of these messages are not getting
paid.

Thursday's column contained an error, introduced during the editing
process. We said osteopathic doctors go to four years of chiropractic
schools, but they don't. They go to four years of osteopathic medical
schools, which include courses on manipulation, in addition to
traditional medical training.

Osteopathic doctors may belong to the American Medical Association.
They may prescribe drugs. They may specialize in the full gamut of
specialties that a medical doctor does.

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