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The antidrug campaign:
Wliere do we stand?
“Just Say No” advertisements and
Presidential television addresses are new
approaches to an old problem —drug
addiction.
In recent months since the death of
fomed basketball star Len Bias, cocaine,
crack, and other addictive drugs have
received air time nightly.
Studies have shown drugs to be the
nation’s number one worry, but is it the
nation’s number one priori^? To me, it
seems as the campaign against drugs,
intensifies, the rate of drug abuse con
tinues to escalate.
Random drug testing, television doc
umentaries, and President and Nancy
Reagan's campaigns are all important
acts aimed at solving the crisis, but to
me the stand against drugs in the United
States does not run deep enough.
For one, I’m not sure what the U.S.
wants to accomplish with these cam*
paigns. Are they trying to save lives or
capture the pu^rs? On the other hand.
I’m not certain as to how much can be
done to stq) the abuse.
I think it is great that today’s children
have access to vast amounts of litera
ture spelling out to them tibe dangers of
cocaine use. I would like to see another
campaign reorganized the one against
the drug pushers or supi^iers. They are
directly reenable for ruining tiie lives
of the people in our society aj^ all the
while I haven’t heard any strong mea-
sures being taken against
them.
I think we, as a nation, need to take to
the streets and catch these siq>pliers.
There ought to be a task force set up in
every city in every state designated to
go out and apprehend these criminals.
I am not saying that nothing is being
done because federal seizures of cocaine
have increased; however the street sup
ply has not been affected.
The Administration has nearly dou
bled its drug enforcement budget fiom
$853 million in 1982 to$I.5b^on this
year, but has overiooked effects to
reduce the demand for drugs, according
to Tfane magazine.
Politics also plays an important role
in drug intervention. Reagan would like
to see private business and local
government handle the {xoblem o** at
least pay fcH* measures to stop drug'
abuse, but local govertunent in turn
wants the same thihg On the national
level Meanwhile, as they debate tte
drug pusher continues to peddle his
wares.
I tfiink until we find a way to mobil
ize these drug pushers we will always
be faced with a drug problem and a
crime problem.
Both problems are linked together
because drugs do not come free; some
of them have a pretty he^ price. Once
one is addicted no price is too high and
anything may be chanced in order to
get money to support their habit
The random drug testing and Presi
dential campaigns may have a signifi
cant effect over time. Maybe society
will develop a social tolerance to drugs
and consumption will be labeled as
undersirable.
The question is how much time do
we have until this time bomb destroys
our whole society?
Vanessa Goodman
Editor
y
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Bettie Shipp, Vice President
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The office is located on the second floor of Cate Center.
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Office Hours 9 a.m. - 5 p.m weekly.
Office Phone 829-8599
Corrections
In the September 18,1986 edition pf the
McndcdiTh HciMld in the Art and Entertain
ment secdon of the paper, an article written
on the Bathtub ring was credited to Martha
Ann Brawley. The article was not written by
Brawiey. Paula Tomlinson was responsible
for the article. We regret the error.
Also, there are three more new additions
to the business department omitted in last
week’s “New Faces” article Dr. Cliff Baker,
Mrs, Theresa Spencer, and Dr. Doug
WakeTO^n. _.i