Statement by John P. Walters,
Director, Office of National Drug Control Policy
Before the House Government Reform and Oversight Committee,
Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug Policy, and Human Resources.
February 26, 2002
Strategy Development
The Office of National Drug Control Policy Reauthorization Act of 1998 (the "Act") required the President to submit to Congress by February 1999 a comprehensive National Drug Control Strategy for reducing drug abuse and the consequences of drug abuse in the United States by limiting the availability of and reducing the demand for illegal drugs. The Act also requires annual reports in successive years focusing on progress achieved in implementing that strategy. The Act permits the submission of a new Strategy when a new president or director takes office. It is pursuant to that statutory provision that President Bush submitted the National Drug Control Strategy to Congress on February 12th.
As you know, developing an effective and comprehensive drug control strategy is a complex challenge. It is, however, a challenge that we as a nation are prepared to meet. Upon assuming office as Director of National Drug Control Policy last December, I began conducting an in-depth review of existing policies and program priorities. The first phase of that review culminated in the Strategy. The President reiterated his commitment to combat drug use and emphatically stated that reducing drug use is at the center of our national agenda as it affects everything from the health of our citizens to the national security of the United States. I am confident that you will find this Strategy to be a balanced, comprehensive approach to reducing drug use in our Nation. We will continue to work with you and your colleagues in Congress as we review our approach in greater detail during the balance of this year.
The fundamental elements of effective drug control policy are consistent with common sense. We are committed to mobilizing our nation's efforts along three major themes:
Stopping Use Before it Starts. We are using parents, educational institutions, the media, and community action to prevent young people from experimenting with drugs in the first instance and starting on the path that all too often leads to addiction, crime, and personal and familial destruction.
Healing America's Drug Users. We are placing a strong emphasis on drug treatment. The President has made a historic commitment of $1.6 billion over five years in increased treatment funding. We will work to deploy these resources to areas and populations that need it most and provide more effective outreach to the chronically addicted drug using population.
Disrupting the Market. We are readjusting our efforts in supply reduction based on market principles. We will identify and target strategic vulnerabilities in the business of drug trafficking. We will attack the drugs, money and corrupt financial institutions, precursor chemicals, key managers and individuals, crops, key transit routes, and key communication links that facilitate drug trafficking.
Finally, this Strategy focuses on results and providing accountability to the American people, to Congress, and to our partners around the globe. We will measure our success against our national goals of a 10 percent reduction in teenage and adult current drug use over the next two years, and a 25 percent reduction in current drug use, nationally, over the next five years, measured with the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA). The Strategy recognizes that our drug fighting institutions have not worked as effectively as they should. In keeping with the goals of the President's Management Agenda, it is our task to make these institutions perform better. Good government demands it, and it is our responsibility to future generations to ensure it. In the past, our ability to manage anti-drug programs has been complicated by the methods used to calculate the drug control budget. The Administration is developing a new way to report the drug budget that will be readily identifiable and will reflect policy decisions guiding our counterdrug efforts.
Last Updated: March 4, 2002
