cannabisnews.com: White House Launches Super Bowl Anti-Drug Ads 





White House Launches Super Bowl Anti-Drug Ads 
Posted by CN Staff on January 24, 2003 at 16:00:31 PT
By Liza Porteus
Source: FoxNews.com
Washington — Remember the connection between terrorists and drug use? If you buy drugs, you may be complicit in the killing of innocent families, purchasing illicit arms for a terror cell or providing false identity documents for a terrorist to sneak into the country.The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy spent millions telling the estimated 130 million people who watch the Super Bowl that drug money is frequently routed to terrorist groups. 
Now the ONDCP is at it again, spending more than $4 million to launch anti-drug ads during television's most coveted advertising slot: this Sunday's championship football game.When the Oakland Raiders face off with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Super Bowl Sunday, not only will television watchers see new and improved ads from the likes of bowl game favorites Budweiser, Electronic Data Systems and Pepsi, but they'll also be seeing the latest anti-drug ads, which suggest that smoking marijuana can get girls pregnant, cause traffic deaths and result in teens accidentally shooting one another.Drug czar John Walters said he wants to demonstrate that marijuana can seriously impair judgment and lead to risk-taking that has serious long-term negative consequences."This campaign is designed to show teens some of the ways that using marijuana can cripple a young person's future," Walters said in a statement. "The fact is that teens who use the drug are more likely to take risks that can gravely affect their lives and the lives of others. The prevailing belief that marijuana is a harmless drug is simply wrong."Sunday's ads are an extension of the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign, designed to help America's youth steer clear of illegal drugs. Walters said he started the intense effort to increase the anti-pot campaign last spring, when ad evaluations demonstrated that the public service announcements were affecting parents more than children.But the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws said Walter's office is just blowing smoke. It labeled the ads as "another super bust" and "a colossal waste of taxpayer's dollars" and said it is a high irony that ONDCP would launch its ad campaign during "one of the biggest drinking festivals" in the nation."NORML believes there is nothing to be gained by exaggerating marijuana's harmfulness," NORML Executive Director Keith Stroup said in a statement. "On the contrary, by overstating marijuana's potential harm, our policy-makers and law enforcement community undermine their credibility, and their ability to effectively update the public of the legitimate harms associated with more dangerous drugs."Stroup's outfit contends that marijuana is being used as a scapegoat and it is preposterous to suggest that it diminishes the ability to make rational decisions any more than alcohol.Stroup said instead of demonizing the drug, the national drug office should model its educational campaign after those that try to discourage teen pregnancy, drunk driving and adolescent tobacco smoking — all of which have been drastically reduced in the past few years."America has not achieved these results by banning the use of alcohol or tobacco, or by targeting and arresting adults who engage in these behaviors responsible, but through honest, fact-based public education campaigns," Stroup said. "There is no reason why these same common sense principles and strategies should not apply to marijuana and responsible adult marijuana use."The drug office is continuing last year's "Drugs and Terror" campaign with two more ads. One features a little girl who could be from Latin America who appears as a ghost to a female office worker to tell the woman, "you killed me." The child explains that she was a victim of a drug dealer whose product the office worker purchased.It is also launching other marijuana-related ads. One focuses on a couple who finds out their daughter had unprotected sex after using pot. Another portrays a young man grieving for a friend killed in a car accident when the driver was high.The last ad coincides with two studies published by the Department of Transportation that show that marijuana slows a driver's perception of time, space and distance.But NORML Foundation Executive Director Allen St. Pierre said that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has published two reports in the past seven years looking at the role of marijuana in crashes and vehicular deaths and concluded that marijuana is not a very large or contributing factor in accidents.He went on to say that several studies — both real and simulated — show that when people are high, they drive more cautiously."That in no way means we advocate using marijuana and driving but if people drive safer under the use of marijuana, that should be put in the public discussion," he said. "The federal government, specifically the ONDCP, is remarkably disingenuous."Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug. The National Household Survey of Drug Abuse, conducted by the Department of Health and Human Services in 2001, estimates that 56 percent of current illicit drug users smoke marijuana and another 20 percent smoke marijuana in conjunction with other drugs.An estimated 37 percent of Americans aged 12 or older had used marijuana or hashish in their lifetime, the report said.NORML: January 23, 2003 - Washington, DC, USA: Another Super Bust! White House Once Again To Spend Millions On Anti-Drug Ads During Super Bowl: http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=5517Source: FoxNews.comAuthor: Liza PorteusPublished: Friday, January 24, 2003Copyright: Fox News Network, LLC 2003Website: http://www.foxnews.com/Contact: foxnewsonline foxnews.comRelated Articles & Web Site:NORMLhttp://www.norml.orgONDCP Continues Terror-Link Ads for Super Bowl http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15266.shtmlWhite House Super Bowl Ads Attack Drugs http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15259.shtmlWhite House Places Anti-Drug Super Bowl Adshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15251.shtml
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Comment #8 posted by FoM on January 27, 2003 at 11:00:01 PT
First Review That I've Found on Superbowl Ad
Commercials don't ad up 
SCRUB TEAM1. Government anti-drug spot. Distraught parents and teenager, suggesting that if your 14-year-old smokes marijuana, next thing she will come home pregnant. Who thought anyone would buy this pitch? Miss Cleo?Complete Article: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/col/story/54980p-51502c.html
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Comment #7 posted by BGreen on January 27, 2003 at 03:29:07 PT
Think About The Four Million Wasted Dollars
those ads cost the taxpayers."The anti drug commercials were so insignificant I can't even be angry about them."Then read Richard Cowans' latest column on Marijuananews.com entitled "Todd, Steve and Mike; And Why I Do What I Do. Justice Fails Medical Cannabis Patients." http://marijuananews.com/news.php3?sid=615Then you might want to read this article from "Rolling Stone" entitled "PLAGUE IN THE HEARTLAND." http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n089/a06.html?1050It starts out with these words:Cheap, easy to make and instantly addictive, crystal meth is burning a hole through rural America. A Hellish tour of a home-cooked drug crisis.This is buried in the middle of the article:"Meth is the number-one threat to rural America," says Will Glasby, the chief of media relations for the Drug Enforcement Agency. "If you look at a map, it's like a tidal wave moving east from California and the Northwest states. Last year, we took down 7,000 labs, many in the middle of the country. Some were in areas that had never seen crime before, let alone drug gangs and shootouts. We're hopeful it won't reach Eastern cities. Because if it ever does land in urban America ..." Glasby stops a moment to choose his words. "Well, let's just say there'll be major problems." Pressed on what the DEA is doing specifically to stem the flow of meth, Glasby cites its long-standing work with local cops as well as a series of town-hall meetings that were attended last summer by the agency's head, Asa Hutchinson. Told that this seems a faint response to the "number-one threat" in the country, Glasby makes mention of harsh budget constraints, saying the agency has "many priorities and limited dollars." Curiously, one priority that's well-funded, however, is the DEA's war on medical marijuana, featuring armed invasions of hospice co-ops in California and elsewhere. If the agency can summon the resources to roust terminally ill seniors and cuff them at gunpoint to their walkers, couldn't it find the money and additional manpower to intervene on behalf of kids?FoM, you know I'm not picking on you, I just used your post as a springboard to rant, but I want everybody who knows any medical cannabis patients to think about their faces. If you don't know any then watch this video from Pot-TV called "For Medical Use Only." http://www.pot-tv.net/archive/shows/pottvshowse-1479.html"A documentary produced by the Berkley Patients Group (BPG) in California, telling the story of their members struggle against the Federal authorities to receive their State approved medicine."Now, that's why I'm VERY ANGRY!
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Comment #6 posted by FoM on January 26, 2003 at 21:05:45 PT
About the Superbowl Commercials
We watched the Superbowl to see the commercials and a couple were funny but most of them promoted drinking and high speed driving. The anti drug commercials were so insignificant I can't even be angry about them. 
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Comment #5 posted by FoM on January 25, 2003 at 10:00:28 PT
War Talk
All I see on the news is talk of war and superficial reports on who did what to whom. I turn off the news. As long as war drums are pounding we will be lucky to get any news that is important it seems to me.
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Comment #4 posted by Truth on January 25, 2003 at 09:55:05 PT
. "It's a sad day for journalism."
Ain't that the truth.
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Comment #3 posted by AlvinCool on January 24, 2003 at 18:29:33 PT
Letter to the Editor
Thank you for covering the upcoming drug ads and offering both sides. As far as I can see you are the single news outlet that has said anything about marijuana while major events are happening. I only wish you would cover some of the major events.The city of Oakland approached Ed Rosenthal to provide technical expertise and to grow clones for cannabis clubs. I can understand judge Breyer not allowing Rosenthal to allow for a medical marijuana defense, but what does that have to do with not allowing the defense to call city and state employees to testify that they approached Rosenthal and that he was deputized, effectively working for the city. Judge Breyer also will not allow DEA agents to be questioned. His reason for not allowing these people to be questioned is that they spoke to Mr. Rosenthal about medicinal marijuana. However, what does that have to do with questioning the witnesses and allowing them to say they not only approached Mr. Rosenthal but gave him a total green light under California law? Why doesn't he let the DEA agents say they said they wouldn't go after caregivers? While federal law may trump state law since states take federal money they are agents of the US government. This is the clearest case of entrapment that I have ever heard of, yet no news outlet will touch it. Is this not the type of news that was once considered news? Is this not the type of case that will set precedence for years to come?Canada is decriminalizing marijuana and our national news outlets cover absolutely nothing. Instead we get news that Jerry Springer wants to run for office. It's a sad day for journalism.
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Comment #2 posted by mayan on January 24, 2003 at 18:19:51 PT
Super Bust
"But the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws said Walter's office is just blowing smoke. It labeled the ads as "another super bust" and "a colossal waste of taxpayer's dollars" and said it is a high irony that ONDCP would launch its ad campaign during "one of the biggest drinking festivals" in the nation."Like I said before, the ONDCP is incredibly desperate to attack cannabis during a drunk-fest. What is left of their credibility is crumbling fast. I hope you are all able to enjoy a super bowl on sunday! The way out is the way in -Defense Secretary: "Lots of Warnings" Prior to 9/11
http://www.thememoryhole.org/911/rumsfeld-warnings.htmBeating the drums for justice: Calls for Bush's impeachment for 9/11
http://onlinejournal.com/Special_Reports/Lynn012303/lynn012303.html9/11 Truth Alliance: http://unansweredquestions.org/alliance/index.htmlThe 9/11 Investigative Community:
http://www.falloutshelternews.com/911Community.htmThe People's Investigation of 9/11: http://www.911pi.com/The 9/11 Truth Movement - Selected Resources for Researchers and Activists: http://www.globalresearch.ca/articles/LEV212A.html9/11 Exposed: http://www.911exposed.com/Paul Thompson's Complete 9/11 Timeline: http://cooperativeresearch.org/completetimeline/
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Comment #1 posted by delariand on January 24, 2003 at 16:17:51 PT
I know it's been said...
...but I'll say it again. Everything they say is wrong with marijuana is either a result of the laws against marijuana, or if the problem is actually related to the drug itself, the same problem is much more serious with alcohol or tobacco. Impaired driving? Alcohol. Health problems and death? Tobacoo. Money funding terrorists? If I could grow my own, or head down to the corner store and buy some American grown marijuana, I wouldn't be supporting anything but our sagging economy.
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