ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, September 22, 1996 TAG: 9609240092
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: 2 EDITION: METRO
TAKEN OUT of context, the words of Gen. Barry M. McCaffrey, President Clinton's drug czar, may encourage Republican presidential hopeful Bob Dole to continue his strategy of blaming Clinton for an increase in drug use among teens.
Said McCaffrey in Richmond last week: ``The bottom line is we took our eye off the ball in this country,'' easing up on anti-drug messages just as a new generation began using drugs.
But McCaffrey wasn't charging that Clinton took his eye off the ball. Most of America looked the other way, he stressed, and now it's up to all of America to focus more attention on drug problems.
Government, he said, can only do so much. It's mostly up to parents, teachers, health professionals, civic and business leaders and others to drive home the message to young people that drug abuse can have tragic consequences.
McCaffrey, director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, also stressed that increased treatment for drug abusers is crucial. Wounded three times in battle, he said he is puzzled by those who scoff at treatment and say that no one ever won a war by taking care of the wounded.
It's probably too much to expect that Dole will be swayed by McCaffrey's words. A disturbing rise in teen drug use did occur on Clinton's watch, and this has provided the Republican with a campaign issue of sorts.
But with Dole now saying he'll use the military if necessary to escalate the war on drugs, it's to be hoped the Republican will pause to consider warrior McCaffrey's conclusion:
``This drug effort won't be won by anybody's army.''
LENGTH: Short : 37 linesby CNB