US RELEASES 5-PART PLAN TO CUT DRUG PROBLEM

WASHINGTON -- Hammering home the need for a drug-control strategy that
measures success and failure, the Clinton administration is announcing 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,
despite a nationwide effort that includes close to $18 billion spent this
year by the federal government.

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 the production of cocaine.

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

The five parts of the administration plan 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.

Achieving the goal would mean just 3 percent of people age 12 and over in
U.S. households would be using illegal drugs. The current figure is 6.4
percent. In 1979, the rate was near 15 percent.

Vice President Al Gore said, "This strategy takes us into the next century
with a goal of dramatic reductions in the supply and demand for drugs and a
real chance of giving our children drug-free communities in which to grow
up."

With Clinton attending the funeral of Jordan's King Hussein, formal
presentation of the plan today was being handled by Gore and McCaffrey.
Advance copies were made available yesterday evening.

A major piece of the drug-control effort: an advertising campaign that
generates more than $195 million a year in matching contributions from media
companies.

"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.