[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1992, Book I)]
[February 26, 1992]
[Pages 320-321]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks at the State Dinner for Drug Summit Participants in San Antonio

February 26, 1992
    Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen: Barbara and I are honored to 
have you join us here tonight. It is a particular pleasure to welcome to 
the United States our good friends and our neighbors from Mexico, 
Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Venezuela. I am delighted that 
we've gathered in my home State, Secretary Baker's home State of Texas, 
with our Governor here, the Mayor of this city here, in this gracious 
city of San Antonio. For centuries, San Antonio has stood as an 
important cultural crossroads of the Americas.
    We meet at a time of great hope for all the people of the Americas. 
In almost every nation in the hemisphere, people enjoy self-government 
and respect for human rights. We're making steady progress to improve 
our people's quality of life through more open trade and investment, by 
creating more jobs. That's why I am committed more strongly than ever to 
completing the North American free trade agreement linking the economies 
of Mexico, Canada, and the United States. And building upon that, we 
will realize the vision I call the Enterprise for the Americas 
Initiative for robust trade and investment from the Arctic Ocean to the 
Straits of Magellan.
    During our meetings this week in San Antonio, we will refine and 
intensify our common efforts against the menace of drugs. Each of our 
nations is making progress. Bolivia has successfully intensified its law 
enforcement efforts against cocaine traffickers. Peru has taken 
important steps to control airstrips used by traffickers to move cocaine 
to Colombia. Ecuador is moving against money launderers and traffickers 
on its territory. Colombia has jailed some of its most violent drug 
traffickers and is seizing record quantities of drugs. Venezuela is 
clamping down on those attempting to use its territory to ship drugs to 
Europe and America. Mexico has reduced cultivation of both opium poppies 
and marijuana by unprecedented amounts while seizing record amounts of 
cocaine through Operation Halcion.
    For each of our nations, the battle against drugs is truly a war. 
The ultimate stakes are the same: the minds, bodies, and the souls of 
our young people, so many of whom have been hurt or destroyed by the 
violent world of the drug dealers. In the United States, we're stepping 
up treatment, prevention, and research programs, and we're toughening 
our prosecution and punishment of drug kingpins.
    We're seeing results on the demand side as well. In the United 
States over the past 6 years, we've reduced the number of regular users 
of cocaine by two-thirds. Adolescent use of all types of illegal drugs 
is down. The number of high school seniors using illegal drugs is the 
lowest since we began measuring their drug use.
    We must do more. Drug abuse and drug violence, particularly in our 
inner cities, threaten to destroy our children and every-

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thing else we hold dear. At risk is the civilization we share, our 
common inheritance, and our common future.
    So, let us renew our resolve. Let us strengthen our commitment to 
guarantee all people drug-free communities. And as we work to advance 
the quality of life in our own hemisphere in so many ways, let us win a 
lasting victory in the war against drugs.
    And once again, a warm welcome to San Antonio, Texas. And may God 
bless you and all the peoples of the Americas. And may I raise a glass 
in honor of our distinguished guests and the important mission that all 
of us share.

                    Note: The President spoke at 8:01 p.m. at the 
                        Majestic Theater.