NEW ANTI-DRUG CAMPAIGN TARGETS HISPANIC TEENS

WASHINGTON - Among eighth-graders, Hispanic students have the highest
rate of past-year drug use for most illegal drugs, including
marijuana, cocaine and heroin, according to the National Institute on
Drug Abuse. In fact, one in 10 Hispanic youths ages 12 to 17 reported
using illicit drugs in the past month.

To address the problem among youths of the nation's fastest-growing ethnic
group, a new multimedia anti-drug ad campaign will target the Hispanic
community, the U.S. surgeon general and leading Hispanic organizations announced
Wednesday. Residents of Miami, Houston and other cities with large Hispanic
populations will soon see "Padres: La Anti-Droga" posted next to the popular
"Parents: The Anti-Drug" advertisements on billboards, buses and the like.

"Reaching the Hispanic population isn't just about communicating in
Spanish," said Roy Bostock, chairman of the Partnership for a
Drug-Free America. "It's about connecting the culture with the message."

New television and radio ads began airing nationwide in October.
Magazine spreads are slated to roll out in November.

One commercial, titled "El Pregunton," shows a Hispanic father
questioning his daughter before she heads out to a party with friends;
the ad intends to encourage parents to monitor their children's behavior.

Another ad, "La Jefa," illustrates the relationship between a mother
and her teenage son. "She doesn't love to be tough," it reads in
Spanish. "She is tough because she loves."

"Parents need to know that the threat is not a stranger wearing a dark
coat on the playground," said John Walters, director of the White
House Office of National Drug Control Policy, the agency overseeing
the campaign. "The threat is going to come from the kid next door.
You're not snooping on your kids to ask about their friends."

Research shows teenagers are less likely to use marijuana or other
illegal substances if they know their parents are strongly against it,
Bostock said. Specifically, two-thirds of Hispanic teens fear
upsetting their parents if they smoke marijuana - and more than half
worry about losing respect of family and friends.

"We want to show Hispanic parents that by setting rules and enforcing
them - as difficult as that may be sometimes - they can keep their
kids away from drugs," Bostock said.

In addition to the new ads, a Web site, www.LaAntiDroga.com, and a
toll-free number, (877) SIN-DROGAS, will also be employed to
distribute bilingual books containing tips and resources for Hispanic
parents. The books will go to education and community organizations
nationwide.

For U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona, the new endeavor is a great
step forward in public health awareness and literacy.

"We need to close the gap between what the health professionals know
and what the rest of America understands," Carmona said. "Kids using
marijuana damage their lungs and their lives."

Born and raised in New York City, Carmona said he turned to a Puerto
Rican doctor in his low-income neighborhood for advice about drugs and
peer pressure.

"I listened to him because he knew our culture and he was part of us,"
he said of his mentor. "Now it's my turn to be the doctor and tell
youth that marijuana is not worth your time. It steals from you and it
gives nothing back."

Other Hispanic professionals are crowing about the project as
well.

"If kids use marijuana, they fall behind," said Rene Rodriguez,
president of the Interamerican College of Physicians and Surgeons. "If
they fall behind, they can't reach the goals that we want for them and
for our community."

For more information or to obtain a copy of the bilingual publication "Proteja a
sus hijos de las drogas: Una guia para los padres / Keeping Your Kids Drug-Free:
A How-To Guide for Parents and Caregivers", visit www.LaAntiDroga.com or call
(877) SIN-DROGAS.