    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1998, Book I)]
    [February 14, 1998]
    [Pages 230-231]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    The President's Radio Address
    February 14, 1998

        Good morning. Our most important task in the coming years is to
    strengthen America for the 21st century. Nothing weakens our families
    and the fabric of our Nation more than the use, abuse, and sale of
    drugs.
        Today I want to talk about what we all must do to protect our
    children and keep our communities safe from drugs. I'm very pleased to
    be joined by the leader of our antidrug efforts, General Barry
    McCaffrey. Let's begin by recognizing
    that the fight against drugs must be waged and won at kitchen tables all
    across America. Even the world's most thorough antidrug strategy won't
    ever do the job unless all of us pass on the same clear and simple
    message to our children: Drugs are wrong; drugs are dangerous; and drugs
    can kill you. That is our most powerful antidrug strategy.
        We've had some very encouraging news in recent months. We're finding
    that more and more of our young people are saying no to drugs, and we
    can all take great pride in the fact that the number of Americans who
    use drugs has fallen by one-half since 1979. But that number is still
    too large. That's why I'm proposing a new 10-year plan to meet one
    unambiguous goal: We can and must cut drug use in America by another 50
    percent. This plan

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    builds on our strategy of tougher punishment, better prevention, and
    more partnerships to shut down the international drug trade. It proves
    that we can balance the budget and win our fight against drugs.
        First, we must keep our children from ever trying drugs in the first
    place. We'll send prevention educators to 6,500 schools nationwide. Our
    national youth antidrug media campaign will ensure that every time our
    children turn on the TV, listen to the radio, or surf the Internet
    they'll get the powerful message that drugs destroy lives. Because most
    young people get in trouble after school and before their parents get
    home, we'll expand after-school programs dramatically to help keep our
    children off the streets, away from drugs, and out of trouble.
        Second, we'll hire 1,000 more Border Patrol agents, work closely
    with neighboring countries, and use the latest technologies to keep more
    drugs from coming into America in the first place.
        Third, we will strengthen law enforcement by finishing the job of
    putting 100,000 more community police on our streets, hiring 100 more
    DEA agents to crack down on methamphetamines, and launching a new effort
    against heroin.
        And finally, we will stop the revolving door between drugs and crime
    by expanding testing and treatment of prisoners and parolees. Our
    prisons simply must not be allowed to become finishing schools for a
    life of crime.
        A study released by the Justice Department today confirms that our
    policy of testing and treatment is working. It shows that Federal
    inmates who received drug treatment were 73 percent less likely to be
    re-arrested and 44 percent less likely to test positive for drugs in the
    first 6 months after their release than those who did not receive
    treatment. Not too long ago, there were some who said our fight against
    drugs and crime was hopelessly lost. Well, crime has fallen every year
    for the last 5 years, and now the tide is turning against drugs.
        With this comprehensive strategy, I am confident that we can build a
    stronger drug-free America for the 21st century.
        Thanks for listening.

    Note: The address was recorded at 5:20 p.m. on February 13 at the
    Wyndham Hotel in Philadelphia, PA, for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on
    February 14.