CLINTON PLAN AIMS TO CUT NATION'S DRUG USE, SUPPLY IN HALF BY 2007

WASHINGTON -- The Clinton administration today is unveiling a five-part
plan designed to cut the size of the nation's drug problem in half by 2007.

In a three-volume report to Congress, White House drug policy director
Barry McCaffrey said drugs cost the country more than 14,000 lives annually.

President Clinton said that while "there is some encouraging progress in
the struggle against drugs . . . the social costs of drug use continue to
climb."

In a message to Congress, Clinton said that among the positive signs are a
growing view among young people that drugs are risky and a continuing
decline in cocaine production overseas.

"Studies demonstrate that when our children understand the dangers of
drugs, their rates of drug use drop," Clinton said.

With Clinton attending the funeral of Jordan's King Hussein, formal
presentation of the plan today is being handled by Vice President Al Gore
and McCaffrey.

The plan's five parts are educating children, decreasing the addicted
population, breaking the cycle of drugs and crime, securing the nation's
borders from drugs and reducing the supply of drugs.

The blend of strategies is aimed at reducing the use and availability of
drugs by 50 percent by 2007, 25 percent by 2002. That would mean just 3
percent of the U.S. population age 12 and over would be using illegal
drugs. The current figure is 6.4 percent. In 1979, the rate was near 15
percent.

"The strategy seeks to involve parents, coaches, mentors, teachers, clergy
and other role models in a broad prevention campaign," said McCaffrey, head
of the Office of National Drug Control Policy.

The plan includes an advertising campaign that generates more than $195
million a year in matching contributions from media companies.

Another cornerstone of the strategy is accountability for current anti-drug
programs, with boosts for those that work and the ability to identify
swiftly and repair those that aren't working.

"In the past, Congress had been critical because there were no specific
measurements for success," said Bob Weiner, a spokesman for McCaffrey. "No
longer do we only measure the people working the issue and the dollars
spent on it. Now you've got to prove bang for the buck."

The goals for the period ending in 2007 are to reduce the crime rate
associated with drug trafficking and use by 30 percent and reduce the
health and social costs linked to drugs by 25 percent.

McCaffrey also wants to expand alternatives to jail for drug users -- an
approach based on studies showing that prisoners who get treatment are far
less likely to commit new crimes than those who don't.