NEW DRUG CZAR SAYS AD CAMPAIGN AIMED AT CHILDREN HAS FLOPPED

WASHINGTON -- So much for those flashy TV ads intended to inspire
American kids to stay off drugs . The new U.S. drug czar, John P.
Walters, says the government's antidrug advertising of recent years
has failed. Worse, he fears it even may have inspired some
youngsters to experiment with marijuana.

"This campaign isn't reducing drug use," said Mr. Walters, who
became head of the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy
earlier this year.

Mr. Walters was openly critical of the ads even before taking
office, and argued that the advertising effort was in dire need of
an overhaul. Now, he said, he is armed with survey data that support
his suspicions that the campaign hasn't worked.

The five-year-old antidrug program is unusual among public-health
advertising because it is funded largely by taxpayers -- $929
million so far -- rather than nonprofit groups or public service
spots that media outlets run free of charge. Moreover, Congress
enacted an unusual law requiring TV networks, cable outlets,
magazines and other media to donate an equal amount of ad space for
each ad purchase, effectively doubling the impact of the government
dollars.

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Pubdate: Tue, 14 May 2002
Source: Wall Street Journal (US)
Copyright: 2002 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/487
Author: Vanessa O'connell
Continues: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n915/a09.htm