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Director Walters:   Thank you for joining me today. I know many of you are working hard to reduce the harms that drugs cause to America in your communities. Those of us working at the Federal level depend on people like you to make more progress in reducing drug use. I look forward to answering your questions.

Q.   What are the trends in teen drug use?

Director Walters:   The good news is that overall use among young people is down dramatically. Today there are 700,000 fewer teens using drugs than in 2001. The problem is that too many young people are still using drugs. Prescription drug abuse continues to be a growing concern—second in abuse only to marijuana.

Q.   NEWSFLASH—POT IS NOT PHYSICALLY ADDICTIVE!!!! Mentally yes, you see the world in a much more rational and calm manner.

Director Walters:   That might not be framed in the form of a question, but I am glad you brought this point up, because this is an area of popular misunderstanding where ignorance can have terribly sad and debilitating consequences. Marijuana is a much larger part of our Nation’s dependency problem than most people realize. In fact, there are now more teens in treatment for marijuana dependency than for all other illegal drugs combined. The good news is that ignorance and denial about this danger is changing: just a few years ago, many people believed that marijuana was not dependency-producing. But as more and more public health literature has emerged on this topic, and as all too many families have learned from the personal experiences of loved ones, Americans are finally beginning to come to grips with the very real consequences of this dangerous drug.

Q.   Doesn't therelative safety and very effective anti-alcohol property of medical marijuana warrent considering using medical marijuana as a preventitive FAS treatment for the children of pregnant alcoholics?

Director Walters:   Given what we know about the dangers of fetal exposure to the carcinogens and toxins contained in cigarette smoke (which are also present in marijuana smoke), it is difficult to believe that anyone would take seriously the suggestion to use marijuana during pregnancy. Nevertheless, in the event that common sense breaks down, scientific research exposes just how reckless such behavior can be:

In the February 14, 2006 edition of Pharmacogenomics, Wang, Dow-Edwards, Anderson, Minkoff, and Hurd state that, “Fetal development is a period sensitive to environmental influences such as maternal drug use. The most commonly used illicit drug by pregnant women is marijuana.” The results of their research “…indicate that maternal cannabis and alcohol exposure during pregnancy differentially impair opioid-related genes in distinct brain circuits that may have long-term effects on cognitive and emotional behaviors.”

A study published in Science News on April 5, 2003 finds “that rats that were exposed to a marijuana-related chemical while in the womb show more memory lapses and hyperactivity than unexposed rats.

Q.   Most kids do not use drugs. Research suggests that if you focus on problems you get more problems. If you focus on health you get more health. What are your plans to help most healthy non-drug using kids to know they are normal?

Director Walters:   That is an excellent point. Too many people are under the misimpression that drug using among teens is a “rite of passage.” Some of the research that we rely on as part of the National Youth Anti Drug Media Campaign shows us that teens often resent such portrayals because they know that they and their friends are making healthy decisions about staying away from drugs and underage drinking.

Our new Above the Influence ads recognize that today’s teens have important choices to make in terms of drugs and drinking but that their future is important to them.

Q.   When shipments of illegal drugs are intercepted, how are the drugs disposed of?

Director Walters:   Most, if not all, states have their own laws as to the proper methods of disposing controlled substances after seizure. Federally, as well as in all states, any drugs seized in connection with a criminal case are tested to confirm that the substance believed to be a drug is in fact a drug. The law enforcement agency then keeps the drugs in a secure evidence facility during the duration of the criminal proceeding. This is not only important to build the case against the defendant, but also is important to protect the rights of the defendant if he or she elects to challenge the nature, weight, or some other characteristic about the drugs which is relevant to the criminal case. At the point when the drugs are no longer necessary for the criminal prosecution, the law enforcement agency disposes of the drugs in a way consistent with safety and ensuring no further illicit access to those drugs. In some cases, that means burning the drug (as with marijuana).

Q.   I am writting a research paper on why we should not legalize pot use. I was wondering if you have any information that I could use to support my view. Thank you.

Director Walters:   It is heartening to hear that, like a majority of Americans, you understand the risks involved in making this harmful drug more widely available. Indeed, voters in Arizona, Alaska, and Nevada resoundingly rejected attempts to legalize marijuana use in their states, and all indications are that similar attempts by the well-funded pro-drug lobby will meet the same fate in upcoming ballot elections this Fall.

There is an abundance of information, resources, and research to support your position that marijuana legalization is a mistake and would be a massive public policy failure. For information about the physical harms of the drug, visit http://www.nida.nih.gov/DrugPages/Marijuana.html and http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/drugfact/marijuana/index.html. For information on marijuana as a source of dependence and addiction, visit http://oas.samhsa.gov/MJ.htm#TX. To review the latest research on marijuana’s link to mental illness, visit http://www.mediacampaign.org/pdf/marij_mhealth.pdf (PDF).

Q.   Unfortunately, despite years of research and asking all your predecessors (and getting personal responses from each one) I have not been able to locate any such study that supports our current policy on marijuana. Can you name any significant study of the drug laws in the last 100 years that supported our current policy on marijuana? Thank you for your help.

Director Walters:   Yes. Our National drug control policies rely on scientific research and study. Here is just a sampling of references which point to studies regarding the harm and addictive qualities of marijuana:

Pope, HG and YurelunTodd, D. The residual cognitive effects of heavy marijuana use in college students. Journal of the American Medical Association. 275(7): 521527, 1996.

Block, RI and Ghoneim, MM. Effects of chronic marijuana use on human cognition. Psychopharmacology. 110(12):219228, 1993.

Herkenham, M et al. Cannabinoid receptor localization in the brain. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 87: 19321936, 1990.

Mathew, RJ; Wilson, WH; Turkington, TG; and Coleman, RE. Cerebellar activity and disturbed time sense after THC. Brain Research. 797(2): 183189, 1998.

Brook, JS et al. The effect of early marijuana use on later anxiety and depressive symptoms. NYS Psychologist. 3539, 2001.

Green, BE and Ritter, C. Marijuana use and depression. Journal of Healthand Social Behavior. 41(1):4049, 2000.

Brook, JS et al. Longitudinal study of cooccurring psychiatric disorders and substance use. Journal of the Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. 37:322330, 1998.

You may click here to see more: http://whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/publications/
marijuana_myths_facts/ref.pdf (PDF)

Q.   Since the "War on Drugs" was started in the 1970's by President Nixon the problems have only worsened. Shouldn't we learn from prohibition that our current tactis are failing and only add to the problem by increasing the profit for the dealers?

Director Walters:   I have to say, I get asked this question in various forms fairly frequently. It does lead me to conclude that perhaps we in the federal government need to do a better job of explaining that we DO in fact treat drug abuse as a public health problem. Our balanced drug control strategy, which has contributed to a nearly 20 percent reduction in teen drug use over the past four years, is a mixture of prevention (stopping drug use before it starts), treatment (healing America’s drug users), and public safety (disrupting the market for illegal drugs). There has been a persistent claim, often advanced by drug enthusiasts, that we “lock up” millions of low-level drug users. Anyone familiar with modern criminal justice statistics knows that this is an urban myth (link to “Who’s Really in Prison for Marijuana”). People who are serving serious prison time for drug offenses are usually violent or repeat offenders. The rapid expansion of drug courts, which divert low-level offenders into treatment instead of incarceration, is a great example of how we can make progress when the different sectors of the anti-drug policy sector work together. Drug use and addiction impose enormous costs on our society in terms of health care costs, accidents, lost productivity, and stunted educational attainment—annual estimates run into the hundreds of billions of dollars. It stands to reason that each incremental reduction in drug use we can produce represents a significant saving for our nation, both in human terms and in terms of dollar costs.

Q.   Since illegal drug use is a crime, is explicit promoting of illegal drug use a crime too? Can't the editors of 'High Times' magazine as well as other vocal, public figures like Woody Harrelson and 'Cypress Hill' be prosecuted for encouraging unlawful behavior? Can't the producers of "stoner comedies" aimed at impressionable teenagers be held liable for condoning child endangerment? I am tired of our current entertainment media normalizing and promoting criminal acts and getting away with them.

Director Walters:   We are privileged to live in a society where our freedom of speech is protected and an integral part of our culture. That being said, I understand your frustration regarding the messages our young people often receive regarding drug use. Normalizing and trivializing drug use is a threat to public health and sends the wrong message to children. That is why we depend on parents—the strongest force in young people’s lives—to deliver factual messages regarding the dangers of drugs to their children.

To help parents and young people, we have mounted an effective and wide-reaching drug education campaign aimed at providing citizens with accurate messages regarding the harms that drugs cause. Material from the National Youth Anti-Drug Media campaign may be found at www.TheAntiDrug.com or www.abovetheinfluence.com.

Q.   Is it true that more girls are using drugs today than boys?

Director Walters:   While the “pie” that is overall youth drug use is shrinking, the slice that is girls use is getting larger (PDF). Analysis of recent data reveals alarming trends in girls initiation and use rates for marijuana, cigarettes, and alcohol. Girls have unique risk factors and recent research shows you need consequences for substance abuse. Parents of teen girls should be particularly aware of this trend.

Q.   Director Walters, Do you think it is a sensible drug policy to strip financial aid from college students with drug convictions? Seeing as how there are already minimum GPA requirements to receive aid, only good students are being affected by this policy. Do you think it makes sense to interrupt the academic careers of these hardworking students who are trying so hard to become productive taxpaying citizens? Thanks for your thoughts

Director Walters:   Thanks for your question. You’re a bit late though. Last month, President Bush signed legislation that enables students who weren't in college and receiving federal aid at the time of their drug conviction to apply for federal financial aid. I should note, however, that according to the Department of Education, 98 percent of students who answered ‘yes’ to the question regarding a drug conviction were still eligible for federal aid after completing a form explaining the details of their convictions. This issue was used as a minor distraction by drug legalization groups to promote their political agenda of legalizing marijuana.

Q.   What strategy is in place to stop the flow of meth across our border with Mexico, both at the enforcement and political levels?

Director Walters:   Fortunately, we have seen success reducing the number of small toxic labs in several states, where products containing methamphetamine precursors are put behind store counters. Additionally, youth use of methamphetamine has dropped by nearly a third since 2001. But there is more to be done to continue pushing back against this dangerous drug.

Just yesterday, President Bush signed legislation making the USA PATRIOT Act Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005 law. The law includes important provisions to strengthen Federal, state, and local efforts to combat the spread of methamphetamine, which has affected communities across the Nation. Among other important anti-meth provisions, the law enhances international enforcement of methamphetamine trafficking by:

• Requiring the State Department to identify the five largest exporting, and five largest importing countries of these chemicals, and conduct an analysis of worldwide production versus legitimate demand, followed by a plan, submitted to Congress, to reduce diversion of these chemicals;
• Requiring the State Department to take certain actions to prevent the smuggling of methamphetamine into the United States from Mexico, including bilateral efforts at the U.S.-Mexico border and providing equipment and technical assistance; and
• Authorizing $4 million to prevent the smuggling of methamphetamine from Mexico.

For more information and resources for reducing the meth challenge, please visit our meth-specific Web site, www.MethResources.gov.

Q.   Why can't you speak publicly about the cure for tumor cells in the brain? Why don't you mention vapour as means of consumption? Why do you persecute americans? Civilized with the world record of most imprisonned % of its people?

Director Walters:   My impression is that you’re asking me about so-called “medical marijuana.” It is not uncommon to hear claims from groups seeking to legalize drugs that marijuana cures everything from “writers block” to alcoholism to cancer. Needless to say, claims such as these are disingenuous at best and are often used as politically motivated rhetoric aimed at trying to persuade Americans (and all too often young people) into believing that smoking a crude weed is somehow “medicine.” Our answers to questions about medical marijuana are straightforward: We rely on the Food and Drug Administration to ensure the safety and effectiveness of medicine that is made available to Americans. To date, using marijuana has not been found to cure cancer or to be safe and effective medicine. Click here to learn more about marijuana myths and facts.

Who’s really in prison for marijuana? Click here to read our latest study that shows how the vast majority of people in prison for drug crimes are high-level drug traffickers.

Q.   I am concerned that this, "winning the war on Meth" is just the work of a "spin doctor". I work at a law enforcement center in the midwest, and we have fewer meth labs being BUSTED, only becasue we have had huge cuts in the funding to investigate and take down these labs. The wrong message is being sent. They are still there, we just can't afford to bust them.

Director Walters:   The good news is that according to the latest Monitoring the Future report, the use of meth among 8th, 10th, and 12th graders, combined, has dropped by approximately one-third since 2001. However, we must continue to attack the threat of methamphetamine in a balanced way. It is a terrible drug with terrible consequences.

As I mentioned in a previous post, yesterday I joined President Bush in the East Room of the White House as he signed the USA Patriot Act Improvement and Reauthorization Act. We thank Congress for passing this important piece of legislation, which includes provisions to strengthen Federal efforts to combat meth.

Thank you very much for this lively and informative discussion. It’s a privilege to serve President Bush and this country on this important issue, but we know that most of the hard work to reduce drug use in America happens at the local level. Keep reading PushingBack.com to keep up-to-date on our efforts. We value your feedback and frequently post submissions.