ANOTHER FRONT IN THE FAILING DRUG WAR

Randall G. Shelden's excellent column, "A Losing Battle" (Sept. 18)
actually omitted the most dramatic new evidence of the failure of
present "Drug War" policies--the National Youth Anti-Drug Media
Campaign run by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.

The national PRIDE Survey, released Sept. 3, is one of two surveys of
teen drug use established by Congress as measures of ONDCP's success.
The latest results--covering the period during which ONDCP
carpet-bombed the airwaves with hysterical anti-marijuana ads--are
shocking:

Y The proportion of eighth-graders using marijuana in the past month
("current use" in research parlance) rocketed from 7.2 percent to 10.2
percent--a 43 percent increase.

Y Among sixth-graders, current marijuana use doubled, from 1.7 percent
to 3.4 percent.

Y Current use of cocaine rose among all age groups over the last year,
nearly doubling among sixth- and ninth-graders.

Y Current heroin use among junior high students increased 60
percent.

Y In general, illicit drug use was up almost across the board, with
the biggest increases among 11- to 13-year-olds.

We believe it's time for an honest debate about the failure of
marijuana prohibition and of Drug Czar John Walters' ideological,
unscientific approach, and have challenged Walters to join us in a
public debate. For more information about this challenge, please see
www.mpp.org/releases/nr091703walters.html.

BRUCE MIRKEN

Marijuana Policy Project

Washington, D.C.