Clinton Issues Challenge Against Drug Cool

WASHINGTON (Reuters) President Clinton Saturday challenged the
entertainment industry to join his crusade against drug use among children
by refusing to portray "warped images" of narcotics as cool.

Clinton signed legislation Friday that included $195 million for a
highprofile, primetime media campaign against illegal drugs and then, in
his weekly radio address, urged business leaders to match the funds.

Citing statistics showing that drug use among young people had doubled
despite a decline among the overall population, Clinton noted that, at the
same time, antidrug public service advertisements had fallen by more than
a third.

"In the meantime, movies, music videos, and magazines have filled the gap
and our children's minds too often with warped images of a dream
world where drugs are cool," he said.

"We know the media can powerfully affect our children for good or ill
... Now we must take the next step and give our children the straight
facts: Drugs are wrong, drugs are illegal and drugs can kill you."

Clinton said the antidrug campaign would use the full power of the media
from television to the Internet to sports marketing. The aim is to reach
every child in the United States between the ages of 9 and 17 at least four
times a week.

"Above all, I ask the entertainment industry to do its part as well," he
said. "Never glorify drugs, but more important, tell our children the
truth. Show them that drug use is really a death sentence."

White House spokesman Joe Lockhart said an advertising firm had been hired
to develop the campaign, but that it was not yet clear when the first ads
would run.

The bill authorizing the program also requires that a system be established
to measure its success.

Clinton said young people who had not used illegal drugs by the age of 21
probably never would and so should be targeted with the right message
before it was too late.

"I ask all Americans to join in this crusade," he added.