COMMUNITY TAKING ACTION AGAINST DRUGS

Over the past three years, we have seen significant declines in youth drug
use in America. Today, there are 600,000 fewer young people using illegal
drugs than in 2001.

An increasing number of young people deserves credit for making smart
choices about their health and their futures. However, it must be noted
that the progress we have made in reducing illegal drug use does not happen
on its own. We know from 25 years of dealing with the misery of drug use
that most of the work to reduce drug use in America happens at the local level.

Recently, I had the privilege of witnessing firsthand some of the hard work
of anti-drug community coalitions in Columbia working to prevent young
people from destroying their lives with dangerous addictive substances.

Preventing drug use among teenagers is crucial. Extensive research has
shown us that if we can prevent young people from drinking and using drugs
through their teenage years, the likelihood of them using or becoming
addicted later in life drops dramatically. The Lexington/Richland Alcohol
and Drug Abuse Council has a clear understanding of the importance of this,
and has implemented a variety of programs to deter youth alcohol and drug
use in the Columbia area.

At Dutch Fork High School, alcohol enforcement teams educate students about
the harms of drinking and driving. Dutch Fork students have mobilized to
fight negative peer pressure by asking their friends and classmates to sign
pledges not to drink or use drugs on prom day.

At Dutch Fork Middle School, an education campaign is underway to tell
students that "not everybody" uses drugs. Students in the "Crowd 9" club
produce ads with facts explaining that nine out of 10 middle school
students do not drink or use drugs.

We also understand that in order to make even more progress we must
strengthen our efforts with new and proven programs that save lives.
Nationally, we are now providing funding for the increasing number of
public schools that have chosen to implement random student drug testing to
detect and deter use among students. Random student drug testing by law
must not be punitive, and the results are confidential. School-based
testing programs give young people a reprieve from the forces of negative
peer pressure and arm them with an excuse to say "no" to drugs. Students on
the path toward addiction can be sent to help.

We are also increasing funding for local drug treatment programs through
the national Access to Recovery program in order to make sure that those
who have already become enslaved by drug addiction can recover and live
healthy, productive lives. The national drug court program is also
expanding its number of courts and using the power of the criminal justice
system to divert nonviolent drug and alcohol offenders away from jail and
into supervised drug treatment programs.

After visiting Columbia, I am even more convinced that parents, students
and communities are not powerless against the drug problem. We will
continue to support their work and the work of other communities across the
nation who are working to reduce drug use and make our country a healthier,
safer place.

Mr. Walters is director of National Drug Control Policy, the nation's "drug
czar."