Press releases from the Office of National Drug Control Policy are so distorted and misleading, they are better suited to make paper airplanes than inform the public.
Yet another example of their ritualistic deception campaign occurred this week with the announcement that youth drug use has reached exciting lows:
New Survey Shows Youth Drug Use at Five Year Low, 25 Percent Drop in Pot Use Among Teen Boys
Overall illicit drug use among teens ages 12-17 is at a five year low, according to the largest and most comprehensive study of drug use in the United States, released today. [PushingBack.com]
You'd be forgiven for thinking this means youth drug use has been going down recently. But alas, it has not.
Illegal drug use among U.S. teens didn't drop for the first time since 2002, according to a government report released Thursday.
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Overall drug use rates had fallen steadily before last year. But last year's slowdown threatens to undermine President Bush's stated goals to cut drug abuse by 25% by 2007. [WebMD]
Kudos to WebMD for doing some actual research instead of mindlessly repeating ONDCP's predictable propaganda. If there's a story here, it is that a downward trend in youth drug use may be leveling off and that ONDCP's goals might not be achieved.
Now, to be fair, ONDCP isn't really lying here. They're merely feigning excitement about a downward trend that actually ended a year ago. Ultimately, youth drug use rises and falls for reasons so far beyond the government's control that they should be neither credited nor blamed regardless of what happens.
Jacob Sullum has more.
Nearly half of the 42 groups considered by the United States to be terror organisations fund their activities through drug trafficking, a top US official said in Israel Sunday.If there's anything surprising about this, it is the fact that Braun wants to continue the exact policies that make it possible for violent groups to make fast money.
The Drug Enforcement Administration's Michael Braun told a conference on "The Global Impact of Terrorism", organised by the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism, that the DEA "linked 18 of the 42 officially designated Foreign Terrorist Organisations (FTO) to drug trafficking activities of some sorts." [Yahoo News]
On behalf of the Metro Vancouver Board of Directors, and in cooperation with the Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce, Delta Chamber of Commerce, Langley Chamber of Commerce, Richmond Chamber of Commerce, Surrey Board of Trade, and White Rock / South Surrey Chamber of Commerce, I cordially invite you to the next of the Future of The Region Sustainability Dialogues.
Building on the success of its 2006 Future of the Region Sustainability Dialogue Series, Metro Vancouver is partnering with Chambers of Commerce and Boards of Trade across the region to launch an expanded program of dialogues for 2007. more on the dialogues... While Metro Vancouver has earned its reputation as one of the most livable places in the world, now, as we shift our focus to the longer term sustainability of our region, some of the challenges we face and opportunities available to us are crying out for attention.
New and innovative approaches to regional issues and attention to the growing impacts and opportunities of globalization are fundamental if we are to sustain those things that make our region special. Therefore, your opinions and participation at these sessions are vitally welcome and important.