Opinions from around the country
“I helped kill a judge.” “I helped blow up buildings.”

On Sunday the 130 million Americans who watched the Super Bowl were greeted with these and similar statements in an government-sponsored attempt to dissuade individuals from using illegal drugs. As part of the annual football extravaganza, the Office of National Drug Control Policy purchased two commercials for a combined total of $3 million. The ads tried to connect drug use with the funding of terrorist actions and implicitly blame drug users for these crimes. Sadly, the ONDCP has decided to capitalize on the events of Sept. 11 to pursue its agenda. This action will do nothing more than stigmatize and alienate those with serious drug problems.

The implication of the Super Bowl ads is that drug users directly aid terrorists and are thus complicit in their actions. While the ads attempt to ease the United State’s drug problem, this argument will do little to alleviate this public health problem.

Drug abusers should not be isolated from society and treated as immoral reprobates but must have open access to rehabilitation facilities and support groups. The atmosphere of distrust and blame that the ONDCP’s ads foment will certainly harm those who are most helpless. The commercial also makes the crucial mistake of judging all forms of drug use as equivalent.

This policy could be disastrous from a prevention standpoint. Once the harm of drugs such as marijuana is overstated, a systematic distrust of government information is created. In the early ’90s, for example, studies showed that children receiving drug “education” from the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program tended to dabble in harder drugs later in life.

The Bush administration has seriously erred in these ads, confusing what should be a public health issue with an opportunity to capitalize on the events of Sept. 11 and propagate a misguided brand of nationalism.

While it is up to the ONDCP to advocate responsibility and prevention this manipulative campaign oversteps this role. Despite the beliefs of the ONDCP, drug abuse is a personal problem that should be treated through medicine, counseling and personal coping with friends and family — not guilt and shame.

This editorial is from the Michigan Daily at the University of Michigan. This column was distributed by U-Wire.

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TCU Daily Skiff © 2002