Congress Expected to Cut Drug Czar's Ad Funding

Drug Pollicy Alliance ^ | November 18, 2003 | Drug Pollicy Alliance

[Pern]

Based on the recommendations of a joint congressional conference committee, and with pressure from the Alliance and our supporters, Congress will likely decrease federal anti-drug advertising funding for the White House’s Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) from last year’s figure of $150 million to $145 million next year. The six-year-old ONDCP ad campaign, budgeted at an average of $180 million per year, is best known for its perplexing television ads likening teenage drug users to terrorist fundraisers. The Bush administration had sought $170 million for the agency next year, while some in the House had sought up to $190 million. Senators who wanted to cut the ONDCP ad budget to $100 million were unable to convince the many Drug War extremists in the House to consent. Still, according to Ad Week, a leading advertising industry trade publication, $145 million would represent the “lowest budget level since the program launched.”

In addition to being a triumph for taxpayers, a cut in ONDCP funding would be a victory for the Drug Policy Alliance and its supporters – many of whom took action by flooding conference committee member offices with phone calls demanding a reduction in funding.

Many Senators who support the ONDCP ads, even Drug War veterans like Sen. Joseph Biden (D-Del.) and Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), were angered by the mismanagement of the ad campaign – including the overbilling of more than 1000 hours by ad firm Ogilvy & Mather, which directed the unsuccessful campaign. Ogilvy & Mather may be replaced by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America – creators of the unforgettably bizarre “brain-on-drugs” campaign - under a bill being considered in the Senate.

In another waste of taxpayer dollars, the ONDCP recently ordered more than 100 cutting-edge thermal imaging devices from FLIR Systems, which the company lauds as “so subtle, suspects won’t even know they’re being tracked by a thermal detection device.” Perhaps this $1 million purchase will make it easier for ONDCP agents to look through our living room walls and watch their ineffective advertisements on our television sets.

[Pern]

Still, according to Ad Week, a leading advertising industry trade publication, $145 million would represent the “lowest budget level since the program launched.”

A small bit of good news for taxpayers. It's not much, but it's a begining.

[Steel Wolf]

I can't help but think of that episode of South Park where they had that marajauna leaf superimposed over the picture of the Twin Towers.

I don't remember what Kyle said to his parents, something to the effect of 'If drugs are bad, then tell us that they're bad. Tell us they make us lazy and unmotivated and kill our brain cells. You don't have to make up stuff about terrorists.'

As utterly tasteless as South Park is, I find the mental leaps of logic used by the government to tie 'drugs' to 'terrorism' downright offensive.

[gcruse]

Oh, dear.  Those boys on South Park
aren't very tasteful, are they?

[cksharks]

About two thirds of the funding for osama mamma comes from drug money. The Kla get 95% of their funding from drug money and it goes on and on. Not a very hard leap for me.

[John Beresford Tipton]

"About two thirds of the funding for osama mamma comes from drug money."

And why do you think that is, rather than coming from baking bread?

Could it be that criminalization drives up the price and makes it very profitable?

If bread were outlawed don't you think the price would go up also?

[bassmaner]

Good news on the WOD front (for a change) BUMP!

[jmc813]

WOD Ping

[Yeti]

I find the mental leaps of logic used by the government to tie 'drugs' to 'terrorism' downright offensive.

I don't think that the Bush, et al is really trying to convince anyone, just trying to set a context that explains away illegal and dishonest attempts apply powers that were granted him under very specific conditions(terrorism) to the WoD, by creating the false impression that he believes there is a sufficient link between the two to justify it, even though he knows there isn't really justification. If Congress wanted to grant those powers for those uses, they would have done so explicitly.

He doesn't care if you believe the connection is real, he only needs us to believe that he believes it, so we won't go 'round calling him the criminal that he is, illegally using WoT powers and money for the WoD, and through the WoD, which gets him into everyone's life with that power and money.

He wants you to think that he doesn't realize he is conspiring to commit and abet many crimes.

[ellery]

I don't consider this a victory. There are four paths for government on societal drug abuse: 1. attack it from the supply side (incarcerate users/dealers/traffickers; seize property; etc.); 2. attack it from the demand side (educate people about the dangers of drug abuse; refer addicts who want to quit to 12-step programs); 3. pursue some combination of the two; 4. ignore it; it's none of the government's business.

I am a proponent of addressing the problem mostly from the demand side: people need to be educated about the dangers of drug abuse (in an honest way, not a dishonest, pot-makes-you-sleep-with-jazz-musicians way)...because the supply side approach does not work and causes more problems than it solves. While I understand the thinking of people who don't think it's the government's business, I also think that strictly purist thinking does not work, historically. Our founders were practical people, not idealogues.

Cuts to the education side simply shift the WOD proportion more toward the supply side. It's the wrong direction.

[Gianni]

the ONDCP recently ordered more than 100 cutting-edge thermal imaging devices from FLIR Systems, which the company lauds as “so subtle, suspects won’t even know they’re being tracked by a thermal detection device.”

'nuff said.

while some in the House had sought up to $190 million.

Names, we want names!