ANTIDRUG ADS TARGET HISPANICS

Message Emphasizes Parents Setting Rules For Their Teenagers

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 antidrug 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 AntiDrug" advertisements on billboards and buses.

"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 TV and radio ads began airing nationwide earlier this month. 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.

"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, 877-746-376427, also will 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."

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." 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 LaAntiDroga.com or call
877-746-376427.