T
The420Guy
Guest
Washington, DC: The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy
(ONDCP) will spend approximately $3.4 million to air two 30-second
anti-drug spots during Sunday's Super Bowl. The federal anti-drug blitz
constitutes the largest single government ad purchase in history.
The ads, which will allege that the illegal drug trade fuels terrorism,
will be paid for by the White House's much criticized "National Youth
Anti-Drug Media Campaign" - a five-year, $1.5 billion program funded by
Congress in 1997 to allow the Drug Czar's office to purchase advertising
on various media outlets.
"These advertisements as well as this entire campaign is a colossal waste
of taxpayer's money," charged Keith Stroup, Executive Director of NORML.
"Does anyone really believe that Americans' illegal drug use patterns
will be affected in the slightest by this sort of government propaganda?"
Stroup said that the majority of America's illicit drug users are solely
marijuana smokers, and do not use other drugs such as heroin or illegal
opiates. "It is patently absurd to suggest that marijuana smokers are in
any way supporting terrorism. The overwhelming majority of marijuana
consumed in this country is domestically grown or imported from Mexico,
Jamaica or Canada. It does not come from or finance terrorist regimes in
Afghanistan or other potentially hostile nations.
"Marijuana smokers are average Americans who work hard, pay taxes, raise
families and want safe communities in which to live," Stroup said. "They
are just as patriotic and supportive of the war on terrorism as other
Americans."
Last year, the Drug Czar's anti-drug media campaign came under fire when
it was discovered that federal officials had clandestinely sponsored
network programming with anti-drug themes and influenced television
scripts. In addition, a 2001 GAO report found financial improprieties
between the ONDCP and the advertising firm Oglivy & Mather - who produced
many of the anti-drug ads, including those scheduled to air Sunday.
For more information on the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign,
please contact Keith Stroup, NORML Executive Director, at (202) 483-5500
or Allen St. Pierre, Executive Director of The NORML Foundation, at (202)
483-8751.
(ONDCP) will spend approximately $3.4 million to air two 30-second
anti-drug spots during Sunday's Super Bowl. The federal anti-drug blitz
constitutes the largest single government ad purchase in history.
The ads, which will allege that the illegal drug trade fuels terrorism,
will be paid for by the White House's much criticized "National Youth
Anti-Drug Media Campaign" - a five-year, $1.5 billion program funded by
Congress in 1997 to allow the Drug Czar's office to purchase advertising
on various media outlets.
"These advertisements as well as this entire campaign is a colossal waste
of taxpayer's money," charged Keith Stroup, Executive Director of NORML.
"Does anyone really believe that Americans' illegal drug use patterns
will be affected in the slightest by this sort of government propaganda?"
Stroup said that the majority of America's illicit drug users are solely
marijuana smokers, and do not use other drugs such as heroin or illegal
opiates. "It is patently absurd to suggest that marijuana smokers are in
any way supporting terrorism. The overwhelming majority of marijuana
consumed in this country is domestically grown or imported from Mexico,
Jamaica or Canada. It does not come from or finance terrorist regimes in
Afghanistan or other potentially hostile nations.
"Marijuana smokers are average Americans who work hard, pay taxes, raise
families and want safe communities in which to live," Stroup said. "They
are just as patriotic and supportive of the war on terrorism as other
Americans."
Last year, the Drug Czar's anti-drug media campaign came under fire when
it was discovered that federal officials had clandestinely sponsored
network programming with anti-drug themes and influenced television
scripts. In addition, a 2001 GAO report found financial improprieties
between the ONDCP and the advertising firm Oglivy & Mather - who produced
many of the anti-drug ads, including those scheduled to air Sunday.
For more information on the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign,
please contact Keith Stroup, NORML Executive Director, at (202) 483-5500
or Allen St. Pierre, Executive Director of The NORML Foundation, at (202)
483-8751.
