Today, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration released data showing that youth who reported seeing or hearing media messages on preventing drug and alcohol use are significantly less likely to report substance use. Findings show that 10.8 percent of youth who saw or heard media prevention messages reported past month illicit drug use compared to 13.7 percent who received no messages.

ONDCP oversees the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign which is a strategically integrated anti-drug communications effort for both youth and parents that is unprecedented in size and scope. The Media Campaign ads reach 86 percent of teenagers 4.4 times a week. And 72 percent of parents approximately 3.6 times per week see or hear messages to talk to their children about the dangers of drugs. To view ads please visit www.mediacampaign.org.

Today, the White House announced the nomination of Bertha Madras, PhD as the Deputy Director for Demand Reduction for the Office of National Drug Control Policy. Director Walters said, "I am eager for Dr. Madras to join the Administration's anti-drug efforts, where we can make use of her expertise to enhance and aid the work of prevention and treatment efforts throughout the country."

Read the related press release.

Today, Deputy Director Scott Burns testified (PDF) before the House Government Reform Committee, Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug Policy, and Human Resources on “Fighting Meth in America’s Heartland.” Deputy Director Burns provided an update on our fight against methamphetamine and described the way ahead in sustaining a coordinated response to use, production, and trafficking. Burns also discussed the National Synthetics Drugs Action Plan, released in October of 2004, which is a comprehensive plan that attacks the methamphetamine problem and guides our national efforts to curb use and production.

Click here to see more photos

Thursday, July 21st, Brigadier General Walter E. Gaskin, the Commanding General of Marine Corps Recruiting Command, hosted Director Walters as the Reviewing Official at the Marine Corps Sunset Parade at the National Marine Corps Iwo Jima Memorial. The Director was presented with the Marine Corps Guest of Honor Award by Brigadier General Gaskin. The parade was lead by the U.S. Marine Drum and Bugle Corps, followed by the execution of the Manual of Arms by the Marines of Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C., and an impressive performance by the Silent Drill Platoon. The performance was enjoyed by over 3,500 Boy Scouts as part of their annual Jamboree.

On Tuesday, July 19th, attempts to legalize medical marijuana failed for the second time in Iowa City, IA. The City Council ruled against the legalization of marijuana for medical use initiative to be put on the November 8th ballot. Iowa City is the latest of many cities that have taken a stance against medical marijuana and deemed it unsafe as medication.

The recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling outlawing medical marijuana has prompted state governments who had considered passing or implementing so called “medical” marijuana laws to halt or examine the appropriateness of such programs. Examples of this, including Iowa City, are happening all around the country, including: Dozens of California cities and counties including San Francisco, Fresno and Sausalito have already passed or are now considering moratoriums on allowing pot clubs to operate in their communities; and Rhode Island Governor Donald Carcieri vetoed the medical marijuana legislation in the Rhode Island General Assembly in light of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling.

Leaders in many communities and local governments have expressed concern that the "medical marijuana" movement is a "trojan horse" for drug legalization. Smoked marijuana has not passed our nation’s standards for safe and efficacious medicine.

For more information please click here.

The Wal-Mart Corporation banned the recent Willie Nelson album cover label, which includes a picture of a marijuana leaf and red and yellow background that resembles rolling papers. The Universal Music Group made a specific cover that portrays a picture of a palm tree, rather than the marijuana leaf, due to Wal-Mart’s high standards regarding packaging and lyrics.

For more information, please click here.

Today, Deputy Director Mary Ann Solberg joins the Substance Abuse Initiative (SAI) and community residents in Cleveland, Ohio for an anti-drug vigil. This is another great example of community residents pushing back and sending the message to drug dealers that local residents won’t tolerate such activity in their neighborhoods.

The Substance Abuse Initiative was highlighted in the 2005 National Drug Control Strategy as a proven way to reduce drug use in communities. They have been working throughout the city if Cleveland to create drug-free communities and clean up the city streets. Currently, ten neighborhoods have established Drug-Free Zones and several more are in development.

For more information on SAI please visit the The President's National Drug Control Strategy.

The RAND Corporation recently released a study that found most low-level drug offenders were actually involved with hard drugs, such as cocaine and heroin, or were arrested possessing substantial quantities of drugs. In order to reduce the charge and avoid criminal records, they frequently plea bargain down to a low-level drug conviction.

This study is similar to the ONDCP report, Who's Really in Prison for Marijuana? which finds similar results: Our prisons are not filled with low level, non-violent marijuana offenders.

Click here to see more photos

Today, Thursday, July 14th, Director John P. Walters, and the Dutch Minister of Health, Welfare, and Sport, Hans Hoogervorst, signed a statement to reduce drug use in the U.S. and the Netherlands. The statement outlined specific areas for future collaboration in drug demand reduction. The provisions in the statement included:

• The exchange of information on prevention programs and research coordination, particularly on the health risks of high-THC cannabis

• The U.S. and the Netherlands intends to exchange information on short term interventions on the Internet including cannabis Internet interventions

• The Netherlands intends to assign a Dutch researcher to NIDA and/or a grantee to conduct collaborative research in the United States.

  “U.S. and Dutch drug policies are often portrayed as a caricature of overly punitive policies vs. overly permissive. This simplistic dichotomy isn’t real and ignores important collaboration between the two countries,” said Walters, Director of National Drug Control Policy. “I recently visited the Netherlands and was encouraged by what I saw and learned. Officials at all levels of Dutch government and in the private sector expressed their desire to work together to reduce demand for drugs.”

For more information on the agreement, click here.

Kentucky community leaders, parents, and youth are pushing back against drug abuse in their community with the second annual Great Kids Summit in Louisville, KY. From Wednesday, July 13 through Friday, July 15th, approximately 65 youths and 135 adults will be participating in lectures and workshops on several topics, including substance abuse.

"Most organizations have conferences for adults or for youth, and very rarely do you see adults and youth coming together ... and really, if we want real change we have to have young people involved in what we do," said Carol Blethen, executive director of Kentucky Child Now!, a non-profit organization that involves community and state organizations in youth development.

The organization received funding from Western Kentucky University, as well as other sponsors and grants.

For more information please click here.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) today announced the award of 12 grants totaling $15.5 million over three years to combat underage drinking and drug abuse by promoting innovative screening, brief interventions, and referral to treatment of college and university students with a high risk of substance use disorders. These 12 Targeted Capacity Expansion Campus Screening and Brief Intervention (SBIRT) grants are designed to expand existing campus-based medical services by integrating into student health programs both screening for substance abuse and brief interventions to motivate students to take actions needed to end alcohol or drug abuse.

The following is the list of schools that received grants

• Arizona Board of Regents University of Arizona, Tucson
• UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Program, Los Angeles
• University of Hartford, West Hartford
• University of Delaware Center for Counseling, Newark
• University of Hawaii at Manoa University Health Services, Honolulu
• University Health Services, University of Massachusetts, Amherst
• Northeastern University, Boston
• Bristol Community College, Fall River
• New Mexico Highlands University, Las Vegas
• Research Foundation of SUNY, State University of New York at Albany
• University of Texas at El Paso Department of Health Promotion
• University of Tennessee, Knoxville

For more information on the grants please visit: www.samhsa.gov

We recently saw another story about the effectiveness of random student drug-testing in schools—this time in Pearl, Mississippi. We are continually pleased to hear the resounding success of random student drug testing in schools and communities all across the country.

The Rankin County School Board has approved a broad list of extracurricular activities covered under new drug testing program.

The list includes everything from power-lifting to chess playing.

Assistant Superintendent Hugh Carr said the list includes several activities that are not overseen by the Mississippi High School Activities Association, including the program for gifted students and an environmental club.

Carr said the list was compiled to include as many students as possible.

"We want to do everything we can to protect students from drugs," Carr said. "This will not only be a deterrent but will give students another reason to say 'no' to drugs."

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) released the latest National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) report today on driving under the influence. Based on 2002 and 2003 NSDUH reports, almost 16.6 percent of adult drivers aged 21 or older reported that they had driven while under the influence of alcohol or illicit drugs during the past year. Male drivers aged 21 or older (22.0 percent) were nearly twice as likely as their female counterparts (11.4 percent) to have driven under the influence, and more than one in three adult drivers aged 21 to 25 (33.8 percent) reported having driven under the influence of alcohol or drugs during the past year.

For a complete look at the report please click here.