A KENNEDY CRUSADES AGAINST DRUGS

"I've seen the scourge of drugs in my own family," said Kathleen Kennedy
Townsend, 47, oldest of Bobby Kennedy's 11 children. "Just having
treatment available doesn't always convince somebody to get off drugs. Law
enforcement can be a very powerful motivator." Her brother Robert Jr.
turned his life around after pleading guilty to heroin possession in 1984.
Her brother David wasn't as fortunate: He died of an overdose that year.

Now, as lieutenant governor of Maryland, Townsend has introduced Break the
Cycle. It focuses on addicted parolees and those on probation (who use 50%
of the cocaine and heroin in the U.S.). They must get treatment and pass
twice weekly drug tests. Testing positive leads to increasingly tough
punishment. "We're going to expand it to include juvenile offenders,"
Townsend told us, "to break the cycle early."

Checked-by: Joel W. Johnson