16

Tm going to ask and I understand that Mr. Leonard has a plane
that he’s got to catch, so I’m going to ask that, Mr. Leonard, if
you'll please proceed with a brief summary of your testimony and
we'll open the questions to you right away and let you get going.
Thank you very much.

STATEMENTS OF SUGAR RAY LEONARD, WORLD-RENOWNED
BOXING CHAMPION; SERGEANT SID KELLY, D.A.R.E. OFFI-
CER FROM CHICAGO; DR. MARK GOLD, NEUROSCIENCE AND
PSYCHIATRY DEPARTMENT, UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA;
STEVE FITZHUGH, FORMERLY WITH THE DENVER BRONCOS;
BILL ELLIS, DIVISION VICE PRESIDENT, K-MART’S KIDS’
RACE AGAINST DRUGS PROGRAM; AND BRYTON MCCLURE,
TELEVISION PROGRAM “FAMILY MATTERS”

Mr. LEONARD. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Congressman Barrett,
and members of the subcommittee. It is, indeed, an honor to be
here today to address an issue that I know is of great importance
to all of us—drug abuse and our Nation’s youth.

How often have you heard or read a story about a youth who has
fallen victim to drugs or violence and you think to yourself, “that
kid had a choice,” or “he made the wrong choice, and could have
made the right one.” And from a distance, that’s an easy assump-
tion for us to make. Well, I want you to know that for the thou-
sands of kids who are exposed to drugs and violence from a young
age, they truly don’t believe that they have a choice.

While there are many reasons for it, the most common among
them is a simple one—the lack of a strong voice, a moral guide to
look up to, someone to simply say, “you’re OK, I love you.” But in-
stead, what they see is the guy on the street corner who says, “you
want to get high?” “You want to make some fast money, a nice ride,
be a part of something?” Which, when translated, it really means,
“do you want to take a fast ride down a short, dangerous street?”

at might happen if, on that same street corner, stood some-
body else—a mentor—and that mentor walked to that same kid
and said, “hey, want to take advantage of life?” “You want to be
somebody that counts?” “Do you want to make a difference? I can’t
get you fast money, but hang with me and I'll teach you how
money works. Let’s take a long walk down a longer, but safer
street.” That mentor standing on that same street corner, that is
D.A.R.E. And it’s because of D.A.R.E. that I formed the Sugar Ray
Leonard Youth Foundation.

Working together, we hope to give every child we can reach the
same opportunities many of us had as kids, through education and
support, that these kids need so bad to resist drugs. D.A.R.E. can,

uite literally, change the face of that puzzle known as America’s

ture. A mentor for every needy kid—wouldn’t that be great?
Think of the possibilities.

I here today as a testament to the power of a mentor, support
and belief in one’s self. I was blessed with a few things many of
these kids are lacking today. I had close-knit support. I had a
mother, a father, brothers and sisters, but I lacked confidence. I
felt inferior, like a lot of these kids feel today. I guess you could
say I was afraid. I was too short for basketball, too small for foot-


37

today have leamed about the dangers of alcohol, tobacco, and drugs and if
you take the time to talk to them, you will find out that these kids will know
how to handle themselves when they are approached by someone with
drugs. They know how to do more than just say “no”. That’s important,
because as young as these kids may look to you and me, odds are that
everyone of them will face drug use in the next year or two, if they haven’t
already.

In addition to the anti-drug message, D.A.R_E is allowing kids to
develop a positive relationship with law enforcement. The D.A.R.E.
program allows students to get to know us as people and not just as police
officers. It is always amazing to me to find out what these kids think about
“the police” when we start a new session. We often have to overcome the
negative stereotype that young people have picked up on the street, as well
as on TV and in the movies. DARE helps kids overcome those stereotypes.

T can’t tell you how many times over the last ten years I have had kids
tell me about older friends who offered them drugs or alcohol. These kids
are reaching out to their DARE officer, because they know that I will do
whatever I can to help them stay away from drugs and violence. Peer
pressure can be a powerful force, and these kids need someone there who
they look up to and trust, who will reaffirm to them that it is “cool” to do the
right thing.

D.A.RE. officers are role models and it is a responsibility that we
take very seriously. I can tell you that this is more than just a job for me.
Two years ago, I was contacted by DARE America to head a pilot project


33

program or D.A.R.E. I received my training from the Illinois State
Police, and when the Chicago police department began D.A.R.E. in
February 1988, I was the first officer to begin teaching.

Today, I am the Commanding Officer of the Chicago Police De-
partment’s School Visitation program. It is my job to coordinate
Chicago’s D.A.R.E. program. Ten years ago when I began, 3,800
students in 31 schools received the D.A.R.E. curriculum. Today, we
are reaching over 155 schools, and this month more than 12,000
students will graduate from the program. This growth has been
just as dramatic in the suburbs. As you may be aware Mr. Chair-
man, in Aurora, IL, there are now 26 D.A.R.E. officers administer-
ing the program to every 5th grade student there, both in public
and private schools, as they pass through the elementary school
system. That represents approximately 2,500 students a year.

In addition, D.A.R.E. America is currently trying to get D.A.R.E.
into every middle school in America and that is vitally needed in
Chicago. As a former educator, Mr. Chairman, I am sure you can
appreciate how important repetition and reinforcement of English,
math and social studies is as kids progress through their school
years. To be effective, drug education should be no different. We
need to have booster programs in the 7th, 8th and 9th grades rein-
forcing the D.A.R.E. lessons that our children learn in elementary
school. I can’t tell you how difficult it is each year to work with
kids, developing relationships, and then not be able to be there for
them when they are facing drugs for the first time.

For me, the success of D.A.R.E. should be measured not only by
the number of schools or students that we reach, but also by the
confidence and drug prevention skills that each child receives. Just
like the kids who are graduating from the Chicago program, the
students that we have with us today have learned about the dan-
gers of alcohol, tobacco, and drugs and if you take the time to talk
to them, you will find out that these kids will know how to handle
themselves when they are approached by someone with drugs.
They know how to do more than just say “no.” That’s important,
because as young as these kids may look to you and me, odds are
that everyone of them will face drug use in the next year or two,
if they haven’t already.

In addition to the anti-drug message, D.A.R.E. is allowing kids
to develop a positive relationship with law enforcement. The
D.A.R.E. program allows students to get to know us as people and
not just as police officers. It is always amazing to me to find out
what these kids think about the police when we start a new ses-
sion. We often have to overcome the negative stereotype that young
have picked up on the street, as well as on TV and in the movies.
D.A.R.E. helps kids overcome those stereotypes.

I can’t tell you how many times over the last 10 years I’ve had
kids tell me about older friends who offered them drugs or alcohol.
These kids are reaching out to their D.A.R.E. officers, because they
know that I will or we will do whatever we can to help them stay
away from drugs and violence. Peer pressure can be a powerful
force, and these kids need someone there who they can look up to
and trust, who will reaffirm to them that it is “cool” to do the right


42

Dr. Mark Gold’s Statement Before the
House Subcommittee on
National Security, International Affairs & Criminal Justice
(Thursday, June 18, 1998 - I p.m.)

Chairman Hastert, Congressman Barrett, members of the
Subcommittee, it is a privilege to have the opportunity to
appear at this hearing to testify on the need for youth
drug prevention programs. As a Professor in the College of
Medicine and researcher in neuroscience relating to drug
use and dependence, this is a topic with which I am
exceedingly familiar. For over twenty-five years my work
has been devoted to studying the effects that tobacco,
alcohol and other drugs have on the human brain and
behavior. This research has led to new theories and
treatments for addiction. However, the inevitable
conclusion is that no treatment is as safe, effective or

cost efficient as prevention.

Today, we know more about the effects of drugs on the
brain, than is known about almost any other medical or
neurological disease. We have made tremendous progress in
neurobiological research over the last 20 years. Brain
receptors and related chemicals have been identified that
are critical for the “high” produced by every drug of
abuse. Receptors or cellular sites of action for marijuana,
cocaine, tobacco, and opiates like heroin have been
identified. The brain systems involved in drug euphoria and
withdrawal have been’ discovered. This knowledge has helped
us to better understand addiction, and offers hope for
improved methods of treatment. Nevertheless, drug use and
dependence continues to afflict our children at epidemic

levels.


10

Mr. Hastert. Thank Fou JC.

And for you young folks, you know J.C. Watts is certainly an all-
American quarterback on a national championship team and now
is a Member of Congress.

The next speaker is no less credible, the first high schooler to
run a 4-minute mile, and a three-time olympian. It’s my pleasure
to introduce Mr. Jim Ryun. Jim.

Mr. Ryun. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, thank
you for the opportunity to be here today and speak.

I want to offer a bit of encouragement to Mr. Barrett, though.
See, I was cut from an athletic team too; it was the baseball team;
it was the church baseball team. So, you can see that I didn’t have
any great talents in that area. It eventually led me to become a
runner. So, maybe you will have a second sports life. [Laughter.]

I also want to make mention of what took place just moments be-
fore this meeting convened, and that was as you saw, the various
people that were on the panel walk by with these young children.
If there was any doubt in anyone’s mind as to the role of a role
model, and how important it would be. It was very evident as they
wanted to shake hands and have autographs. We do carry a major
responsibility and it’s just not the athletes, it’s the parents as well.
So, I do want to thank you for the opportunity to speak and to dis-
cuss how to teach children to resist the lure of drugs. As a father
of four children, having been in three olympics, I know there is a
great responsibility there to be a role model.

Before I turn my attention to the Drug-Free Professional and
Olympic Athlete Responsibility Resolution, I want to state on the
onset that athletes do not and should not have a monopoly on com-
municating to this Nation’s young people the dangers of drugs and
the alternatives of experimenting with drugs and as we’ve already
pointed out the D.A.R.E. group that’s here, the police officers that
are accompanying them as sponsors, each one of them, as well as
parents really remain a role model.

As a parent, we bear that burden for setting the rules for our
children and for them to follow. When it comes to drug-use, parents
must put that well-being of their children first. With this in mind,
there’s no excuse for parents not to lay down some sort of strict
rules about drug use. And I'm going to offer three simple guidelines
that I think are very helpful to parents to enforce those rules.

First of all, be very specific. Explain the reason for those rules
and don’t do it just once. Say it once, say it again, and say it one
more time because as they go through different stages of their
lives, they will need that constant reinforcement, .

Second, be consistent. Make it very clear to your child that a no-
drug use rule will remain in effect. It’s there all the time and it’s
the same all the time. Be consistent.

The third point is to be reasonable. Don’t add new consequences
that have not been discussed before, if you’re going to change the
rules. So, be very consistent, be specific, and be reasonable.

As nts know all too well, this is not the only part of their
job. We must invest the necessary time, and that’s an important
element, time with our children to demonstrate to them our moral
opposition to the use of drugs. Also, we must be prepared to enforce
those penalties when a child breaks those rules.


70

Sergeant KELLY. We started back in 1988. There were funds
from safe and drug-free schools, since that time those funds have
been diverted to other programs within the school system. The
Board of Education in Chicago has programs that deal with train-
ing their instructors to deal with drugs in the schools, some pro-
grams that deal with video tapes, or films, or books that they give
to the students and then the other part is they call us. We have
sections in the police department where we send police officers in
to talk to them about the things associated with drug use and drug
abuse.

Mr. SoupER. Thank you. Mr. McClure, you have been an actor
now for 8 years. Is that right?

Mr. McCuureE, Yes.

Mr. SouDER. Have you ever been exposed to any—have you been
in any prevention program, have you ever been in a D.A.R.E. pro-
gram, any kind of education program yourself?

per. MCCLURE. No, but I have worked a lot with programs like
that.

Mr. SOUDER. Have you ever seen in your working environment
other people using drugs or talking about drugs? Is it something
that you’ve run into much in the set, or around the places you go?

Mr. McCuure. No. Not around the set or any of the events where
actors don’t talk about it or even think about doing it at all.

Mr. SoupDER. Well, first off, your parents get an “A” and second
so do the people around you for that. I hope that as you continue
in your career that you'll continue to realize the importance like
the song that you wrote. One of the things we desperately need is
the creativity that Mr. Fitzhugh has shown, and in your song and
the music, because the penetration of these words—we had a hear-
ing here with the music industry of the United States, where they
tried to insist that the song “Heroin Girl” was actually an anti-drug
song, when at one level it was, where at the second level it wasn’t.
It was actually a secondary appeal to those who are most poten-
tially addicted and suicidal. And that later came out as we
searched the Internet and saw what the original songwriter was in-
tending through some of this stuff.

But I hope that you can be a real force with this because you're
at a tender age yet, and you have many years in front of you. But
you can be a tremendous force in society. The rest of us are getting
a little older. [Laughter.]

You’ve got a lot of years ahead, and I thank you for coming
today. With that I yield back to the real chairman of the sub-
committee, Mr. Hastert.

Mr. Hastert. I thank the gentleman from Indiana.

I would like to followup. Mr. McClure, I’m sorry I did not get to
hear your testimony, but I got called off to another meeting for a
few minutes. Tell me, you saw these kids in here today and they
are in the D.A.R.E. program, and you’ve worked with those kind
of kids. What is the—and they have their heroes; they have their
sports heroes, and certainly you are a role model because you're out
there in front of millions of people every week. What do you think
the message that is most effective to these kids? What do we have
to get out to those kids? What is the story that they have to tell
that really means something, it’s just not an advertisement or


52

Committee on Government Reform and Oversight
June 18, 1998
Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC
Steve Fitzhugh Executive Director, PowerMoves

Over the past 10 years I have had the privilege of working with thousands of at
risk youth in Washington, DC and throughout the country. With a deep seeded passion
[’ve often critically examined this population in an attempt to discover ways to impact
their lives for Good. Many students with whom I work will have a better chance at being
shot than of going to college. Their worlds consist of four blocks north, south, east and
west. Some support their families, which usually only consist of a mother, siblings and
cousins, with side hustles and drug processing and distribution. I look in their eyes and
see the tendemess of a teenager and the emptiness and despair of a disenchanted
generation all at one time. Where can an indifferent generation find motivation and
direction? What can bring hope when hope is as distant as forever? More importantly,
how can I, as alienated as I feel from this culture, reach them with a message of faith and
possibility? The solution is found in the one common cord that binds 96% of this country
together at least once a month. In this common denominator we see influence, affluence,
and the lure of the “American Dream”. We also find heroes, heroines, idols, role models
and superstars. That common denominator is sports.

APersonal Reflection

As a free safety for the now world champion Denver Broncos I quickly
discovered the power and the impact of playing at the highest level of my profession. A
free agent and uncelebrated rookie, | arrived at training camp one day only to be greeted
by a “Steve Fitzhugh Fan Club” banner. Students in Denver, I had never known followed
my every move and celebrated my every accomplishment. Even now, nearly ten years
removed, my history in the NFL serves as my access card to the hearts and lives of
thousands of students on public and private High School campuses, Warranted or not, I
am a role model and I have influence among the young. The question now becomes how
do I make the most of this privilege?

Solution with Understanding

T understand that students hear anti drug messages all the time. That message is generally
unconnected to their world, cold and condescending.

My Solution is to be relevant, contemporary, but not comy...thus “NASTY” (New
Attitudes Saving the Youth), NASTY is a project that includes a rap song about the


50

years that has had significant success. It’s called, “The One Way
to Play Drug-Free.”

I remember playing in the NFL and how excited I would get if
I had a running back or receiver coming toward me. And as a de-
fensive back, it was my job to discourage them from advancing the
football. So I remember being excited when I had a receiver who
would come and try to fake me out—go left, and go right, and go
left—because before they could think twice I would hit them with
all the Christian love I could muster in an attempt to do my job.

Well, I relate that story to young people and that’s the basis of
the One Way to Play Drug-Free Program. Don’t wait until you get
into a situation where you have to decide whether or not you're
going to take the cigarette, take the pill, tote the marijuana. Decide
now. And we actually give them a card to fill out, to make a com-
mitment to say, “I’m going to be drug-free.” And in that card I don’t
give them my autograph; it’s their contract; they sign the card, and
they say I commit to be drug-free.

Instead of Fellowship Christian Athletes standing—FCA stand-
ing for Fellowship for Christian Athletes, we changed that just a
little bit. FCA stands, at this point for, faith, commitment, and ac-
countability. I believe that this world is bigger than who I am, and
I have purpose and destiny. And that’s my fate. And my commit-
ment is now I decide to be drug-free. And accountability, they can
tear off the end of this card. And this card has five questions that
they can hold one another accountable, hold their best friend ac-
countable with the decision that they made. I’m not going to be in
the hallways with the student. We’re not going to walk with them
every moment of their day in their lives, but they're going to be
with peers, they're going to be with friends. And so the faith, and
commitment, and accountability is you made the commitment to be
drug-free. Find the best friend. You and that friend make that com-
mitment. And encourage your friend at the end of each week. Are
you living and playing drug-free? Or whatever playing may be—
you may be playing an instrument, or you may be doing life, what-
ever that is—be drug-free.

We have over six jurisdictions, State jurisdictions, six Governors
who have acknowledged and given proclamation saying that the
One Way to Play Drug-free Program is effective. We’ve had over
70,000 students from around the country stand up and say I make
the pledge. And the pledge has a statement: No shooting, no slam-
ming, no pushing, no popping, no smoking, no snorting, no boozing,
no dropping because there is only one way to play drug-free. And
they get to put it in their locker room, and in their school, in their
home room a poster where they can sign their name, and say yes
I’ve committed to be drug-free.

And just recently we had the entire football team make the com-
mitment to be drug-free. Two kids from that football team were
found drinking. The captains of that football team took their names
off the poster. Those kids went to the coach and went to the team,
called for a team meeting, went before the team and apologized,
and begged to put their names back on the poster. One way to play

rug-free.

In conclusion, I’d just like to say this as it relates to some of the
roles that the professional athletes have and some of our role as


56

I think you see why we are so proud of this unique and fun pro-
gram. It is also teaching us many lessons. Two lessons we’ve
learned which are adding to the success of this event are.

First, success requires effective grassroots participants, chari-
table partners who are out there waging the war every day, those
partners being D.A.R.E., MADD, CADCA—the Community Anti-
Drug Coalitions of America—and RADD Kids—Recording Artists,
Actors, and Athletes Against Drunk Driving.

The second lesson that we’ve learned is that role models come in
all sizes, and that some of the most popular are young actors like
Bryton McClure, who is not only one of the best tractor racers
around, but who also has the ability to touch other young people
in real and meaningful ways. Bryton, who plays Richie on the long-
running CBS television series, Family Matters is with us today,
and I am proud to introduce him as our partner in the K-Mart
Kids’ Race Against Drugs.

[The prepared statement of Mr. Ellis follows:]


Bill Ellis/Page 4

By doing so...we will involve 2 million children...and their families...in The Kmart
Kids Race Against Drugs. That is a commitment we reaffirm to you today.

And while it is a great story to tell...it's a better one to see. And so, I'd like to take a
few minutes to show you The Kmart Kids Race Against Drugs...to hear from many
of our dignitaries and celebrities...as well as our kids.

(VIDEO)

I think you can see why we are so proud of this unique and fun program. It is also
teaching us many lessons. Two lessons we've learned which are adding to the
success of this event are:

First, success requires effective grassroots participants, charitable partners who are
out there waging the war every day.

And second, that role models come in all sizes...and that some of the most popular
are young actors like Bryton McClure, who is not only one of the best tractor racers
around but who also has an ability to touch other young people in real and
meaningfill ways.

Bryton, who plays Richie on the long-running CBS television series Family Matters,
is with us today. I'm proud to introduce him as our partner in the Kmart Kids Race
Against Drugs


48

Mr. SOUDER [presiding]. Mr. Fitzhugh.

Mr. FITZHUGH. Good afternoon and Mr. Chairman and Mr. Bar-
rett, I thank you for giving me this opportunity to share with you
this afternoon on a topic that has been pumping in my blood for
a number of years.

Over the past 10 years I’ve had the privilege of working with
thousands of at-risk youth in Washington, DC, and throughout the
country. With deep-seated passion, I’ve often critically examined
this population in an attempt to discover what ways to impact their
lives for good. Many students with whom I work will have a better
chance of being shot than even going to college. Their worlds con-
sist of four blocks north, south, east and west. Some support their
families, which usually consists only of a mother, siblings and cous-
ins, with side hustles and drug processing and distribution. I look
in their eyes and see the tenderness of a teenager and the empti-
ness and despair of a disenchanted generation all at one time.

Where can an indifferent generation find motivation and direc-
tion? What can bring hope when hope is as distant as forever?
More importantly, how can I, as alienated as I feel from this cul-
ture, reach them with a message of faith and possibility. The solu-
tion is found in the one common cord that binds 96 percent of this
country together at least once a month. In this common denomina-
tor, we see influence, affluence, and the lure of the American
dream. We also find heroes and heroines, idols, role models and su-
perstars. That common denominator is sports.

As a free safety for the now world champions—the Denver Bron-
cos, I quickly discovered the power and the impact of playing at the
highest level of my profession. As a free agent and uncelebrated
rookie, I arrived at training camp one day only to be greeted by a
Steve Fitzhugh fan club banner. Students in Denver, I had never
known followed my every move and celebrated my every accom-
plishment. Even now, nearly 10 years removed, my history in the
NFL serves as my access card to the hearts and lives of thousands
of public and private high school students on campuses. Warranted
or not, I am a role model and I have influence among the young.
The question now becomes: How do I make the most of this privi-

lege?

it like to offer three insights as to how we, through the Fellow-
ship of Christian Athletes and through some of the programs that
PowerMoves presents, my own organization, attempts to reach
these young people with the drug-free message.

I understand that students hear the anti-drug messages all the
time and that many of these messages generally are unconnected
to their world, cold and condescending. My solution is to be rel-
evant, contemporary, but not corny, thus “NASTY,”—New Attitude
Saving the Youth. NASTY is a project that includes a rap so:
about the distastefulness of cigarette smoking and drugs. It’s re
enough to motivate students to think differently about alcohol and
other drug use and abuse. We developed NASTY because we real-
ized that students are the best carriers of the message.

We all have solutions. We all have ideas. We all have statistics
about the effects and the dreadfulness of drug use and abuse, but
we have to find a way to get the students to celebrate doing the
right thing and to empower young people to discourage their peers


20

THINK ABOUT THAT. AND, WHILE THERE ARE MANY
REASONS FOR IT, THE MOST COMMON AMONG THEM
IS A SIMPLE ONE -- THE LACK OF A STRONG VOICE, A
MORAL GUIDE TO LOOK UP TO, SOMEONE TO SIMPLY
PUT HIS OR HER ARM AROUND YOU AND TELL YOU
THAT YOU’RE SOMEBODY SPECIAL. WHAT THEY
SEE IS THE MAN ON THE CORNER WHO SAYS, “HEY,
WANNA GET HIGH?... WANNA MAKE SOME FAST
MONEY?... GET YOU SOME SHOES,... A NICE RIDE?
(sarcastically) WANNA BELONG? WHICH TRANSLATED
MEANS, “WANNA TAKE A FAST RIDE DOWN A SHORT

STREET?”

WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN IF, ON THAT SAME STREET
CORNER, STOOD SOMEBODY ELSE -- A MENTOR.
AND THAT MENTOR WALKED UP TO THAT SAME
CHILD AND SAID, “HEY, WANNA TAKE IN LIFE?...
WANNA BE SOMEONE THAT COUNTS?... MAKE A

DIFFERENCE?


38

for the DARE Plus program. DARE Plus is an after school program that
sends police officers to public housing developments to talk with kids. This
‘was an especially important opportunity for me because I grew up in public
housing, and I know the challenges that kids in public housing face
everyday.

Finally Mr. Chairman, I know you are very concerned about the
violence that is occurring in our schools. All DARE officers are swom
personnel trained as police officers. We are in the schools primarily to teach
drug education, but we recognize our responsibility to protect students and
teachers should the need arise.

Thank you once again for giving me the opportunity to testify today
and I will be happy to.answer any questions you have.


69

smoke which certainly would include any environmental tobacco
smoke high on the list. And it is very high on the list for breathing
problems in young people, especially, cough, respiratory problems,
and the new data on permanent arterial vascular disease, blood
vessel disease associated with second hand smoke. So I would
agree with you completely.

Mr. SouDER. Thank you.

Sergeant Kelly, I want to commend you for your work in
D.A.R.E. and looking as both of you had talked about at the 7th,
8th, and 9th grade levels because a couple of things you hear fre-
quently is no.15-, 18-, 20-year-old drug dealer wants their younger
brother or sister to get involved in it, which says something in
itself. Yet they tend to have the pattern of following through. You
also meet very few kids in any city in America who in third, fourth,
and fifth grade don’t want to be doctors, policemen, firemen, astro-
nauts the goals—or Michael Jordan—the goals are very similar in
elementary school, but somewhere in there, there starts to be a pe-
riod where the challenges and the changes are.

Do you—in your years of work with this—do you have any par-
ticular advice as we look at these different anti-drug programs or
prevention programs of how best to combine some targets, and how

est to reach the children who become at-risk, who start to see
some of this, often becomes theyve combined, if I may just ex-
pressly say this—they may not only not know who their father is,
they may not know who God is because they haven’t been exposed
to faith; they may not really have anybody who is anchoring them,
and they are very vulnerable in that period. What ways do you
think we could best reach them and how we should be Tooking at
this from our end, in addition to what you are doing on your end?

Sergeant KELLy. I think the big picture is we must realize as
adults that some people are exposed at grades, at third maybe even
second grade, because of the guy on ‘he corner. They talk about
peer pressures or role models, but a father can be in the house and
he can be a role model, but is he a positive role model? The father
could actually be a drug user.

What we have to do as adults, and you as politicians, is come up
with a curriculum, funds, and I guess police officers get out and be
there for those kids when they need us. The disadvantage that they
suffer—I come from public housing—and the disadvantage that
they suffer in public housing is the fact that there are so many
problems within those developments that the police are on call so
much they don’t have time to visit with young people.

The city of Chicago switched to a program called CAPS, or Chi-
cago Alternative Policing Strategies, where we took police officers
out of the cars and have them walking in the neighborhoods where
they could get to know these young people by their names, so they
can call them by their first name. That allows them to tell us
things they'd like to tell us, but the bottom line to the whole thing
is we have to come up with some kind of educational format that
will help them arm themselves as early as 6 and 7 years of age.

Mr. SoOuDER. Do you know if in any of the Chicago schools you
work with if they use the drug-free school money for the D.A.R.E.
program, or what programs they tap into, in addition to local police
department funds, local city council funds, and so on?


SHATTERING THE MYTHS OF THE DRUG CUL-
TURE—CELEBRITY ROLE MODELS JUST SAY
NO

THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 1998,

House OF REPRESENTATIVES,
SUBCOMMITTEE ON NATIONAL SECURITY, INTERNATIONAL
AFFAIRS, AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE,
COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT REFORM AND OVERSIGHT,
Washington, DC.

The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 1:05 p.m., in room
2154, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. J. Dennis Hastert
(chairman of the subcommittee) presiding.

Present: Representatives Hastert, Gingrich, Souder, Barr, Bar-
rett, and Tierney.

Staff present: Robert B. Charles, staff director and chief counsel;
Margaret Hemenway, professional staff member; Amy S. Dav-
enport, clerk; and Michael Yeager, minority counsel.

Mr. Hastert. This hearing of the Subcommittee on National Se-
curity, International Affairs, and Criminal Justice will come to
order. I want to say to everyone good afternoon, and certainly,
thank you for being here today.

Sports have always been a hallmark of America because sports
teach—beyond competitiveness and team work—that how you play
the game is what matters. Our greatest sports heroes today are
those who exemplify strong moral character—both on and off the
field. In a similar fashion, some of our most admired actors and ce-
lebrities have been those who we believed were not only talented
at their profession—but whose personal accomplishments often ri-
valed their professional triumphs.

I want to say that certainly, we led an effort in this subcommit-
tee this week to urge the NBA to jump on board, and lead with
good deeds, and become drug-free by adopting drug testing. Speak-
er Gingrich, myself, and many other Members of Congress believe
these talented athletes in the NBA are role models, and with that
status comes a responsibility to exercise wise judgment, be good
citizens, and lead by example.

I certainly hope this hearing will serve to remind us that ath-
letes and celebrities are role models for children and teenagers, and
that as role models, they must be mindful of the impact of their
public and private conduct.

Sadly, we are a Nation that is again, awash in plentiful, cheap
drugs, with records numbers of students experimenting at even
younger ages. We need to put a stop to it. We need to change that

ey)



72

responsibility. They need to be sensitive to their language, sen-
sitive to some of their habits, and we are not trying to run their
lives. But if they knew how much weight they carry in the lives

of yo people.

Mr. HAsrenr, Sergeant Kelly, I certainly appreciate you being
here today, and the trip in from Chicago. I have worked with Su-
perintendent Vallas, and certainly Mayor Daly and his leading up
the mayors’ association for the United States. Watching some of
the things that they are doing in the school system, in school sus-
pension, and trying to keep kids in school instead of out in the
streets.

My brother teaches in Aurora, IL, in a junior high, in a tough
area of kids at-risk. He has seen a couple of his students in
last couple of years get killed because of gangs, and drug violence,
and gang violence. Kids need role models, more role models than
are just on TV or just in athletics. One of my other concerns is, you
know, I coached 16 years, and I think those people who work with
kids day in and day out certainly make a difference. In your experi-
ence with—certainly your police officers are working with D.A.R.E.
programs, but those kids are in the schools. Are those role models
there, I mean, are there enough of them that especially kids that
come from families without dads? Do we have the quantity of peo-
ple that are willing to spend the quality time with kids to make
a difference?

Sergeant KELLY. I’'d have to say no. The reason I say that is be-
cause we are with those kids while they are in school. Once they
leave that school, they become subject to the influence of other peo-
ple. What we have to do while we do have them with us is instill
within them values—where they will make the right decision when
the decision timemaking comes. Because they’re going to be sub-
jected to all kinds of situations between that schoolhouse and their

ouse. And then, again, as I was speaking before you came in,
there may be problems in the household that they have to deal
with.

I remember as a very qoune D.A.R.E. officer in the classroom a
child running his finger down the chalkboard and putting the pow-
der on his nose, and saying it would not hurt him because his par-
ents do it and they said it wouldn’t hurt them. And I realized then
that his parents are putting some kind of illegal substance in their
nose and he thinks it’s OK. So we talk about peer pressure and role
models earlier, but you have to have the right people around those
kids to keep them straight.

Mr. HASTERT. Well, I think that too. I thank you for being here
and to all of you. I said it before to Sugar Ray, but we can pass
a lot of laws and try to fund p1 ms and do those types of things.
There really has to be a national will. And what is a national will?
Well, it’s people. It’s folks like you, especially professional athletes,
and people on TV because they are the symbols, and the role mod-
els. But it is moms and dads, and teachers, and preachers, and the
cops on the street, and just people on the corner. They have to have
a national will, and a personal will to make this country better and
certainly it is not going to be better if we let drugs rule, especially
in our inner cities and even in our affluent neighborhoods.

So I appreciate you being here and thank you very much.


7

something that kids can blow off? What does it really mean? What
should we be telling kids?

Mr. McCuure. Well, kids respond to other kids, and if events
like the K-Mart Kids’ Race Against Drugs, and things like that the
kids really respond to any kids saying the message: Don’t do drugs;
don’t do alcohol; stay drug-free; stay away from violence. They just
really—it’s a big impact on them from kids saying that.

Mr. HASTERT. We have had Sugar Ray Leonard here today, and
certainly there are a lot of sports heroes out there that kids look
up to. I just came out of Chicago and everybody has got the Bulls
fever, those types of things. Do kids—do they value the behavior
of those types of role models too, do you think?

Mr. McCLuRE. Definitely. Because sports, like Michael Jordan
and Ken Griffey, Jr., they watch them almost every day. If a kid
loves baseball, he is going to maybe love Ken Griffey, Jr., or any
famous actor or athlete. So they are really going to listen to anyone
that they look up to.

Mr. HastTERT. Well, I really appreciate you being here today. You
are certainly a gifted person and you have had the opportunity to
use that gift and that’s great. And to also extend yourself to help
others. I just hope that you'll keep that challenge in mind and
working at it. And appreciate your folks giving you the support
they need, and I just appreciate you taking the time to be with us
today.

Mr. Fitzhugh, I appreciate you being here, too. What is the mes-
sage that we need to grind out? You deal with pro sports people,
athletes, and people around those athletes day in and day out.
What’s the message—how do we connect to really let them realize
that they are the images out there. They are the role models for
kids. What do you think the best message to use there is?

Mr. FirzHuGu. Well, I think a lot of our professional athletes
they already feel the stress of being in a fi wl, and everybody
watches them. Often the things that they do and say are on the
front page of the newspaper, whether they want it to be or not. I
think it’s important for them to have enough confidence in their
personal lives that they are willing to do what it takes to make an
impact. I work with a young man locally named Mark Bunk, whose
name and presence alone has changed lives. And often times he'll
come to a clinic or sporting event, and the little things that he says
makes an incredible difference. If we could somehow challenge our
professional athletes to play by the rules on all ends of the court,
or the field, or whatever it is. If we could get a lot of professional
athletes that need help off the field, and off the court.

I applaud what the Denver Broncos have done. They provide free
services and counseling for any of their athletes, and it’s like a big
family. Once a Bronco, always a Bronco. That’s exciting.

But if we could kind of encourage those kinds of efforts from our

ro teams and organizations to get the help the athletes need.

ven if it means if we can give our athletes a little sensitivity
training in the ways in which they impact the lives of young peo-
ple. Maybe if it’s the compromising their speech at a bad call or if
it’s compromising their behavior at a party one night, that they
need to know that they are gifted. And I believe that with that
giftedness comes—with that little extra gifting comes a little extra


31

Mr. HasTERT. The gentleman from Indiana, Mr. Souder.

Mr. SoupeEr. I, too, want to thank you for your leadership and
willingness to speak out. You said that you were fortunate because
you had a close-knit family, a mother and a father. Do you think
that some of the behavior of role models of this country, whether
they be athletes or musicians, has more of an impact on kids who
don’t have a dad there, and lack those other countervailing forces?

Mr. LEONARD. I think, I truly feel and I’m sure a lot of you will
attest to the same thing that, athletes have a great impact on a
kid’s life and his or her reason to want to be like that person
through the Power of television which is a huge medium. These
kids want to be like us, whether it’s Michael Jordan, Magic John-
son, or a great tennis player. I think, we need to understand that
we play a major role in these kids life.

Mr. SoupDER. One of the things, at least, hopes, of most dads I
think, hopefully, in my case with my two sons and you with your
family and others is that, in my case, my kids would like to grow
up like me, but play basketball like Michael Jordan, but they use,
to some degree, their father as a role model. And the point of
D.AR.E. and a lot of these programs and school teachers and
coaches is that without a dad there, particularly, young boys which
is increasingly a focal problem that we have in our society are
young boys who don’t have dad impacting in their lives, they are
more likely to be looking for some other role model because they
don’t see a male model in front of them.

If it’s a drug dealer who has a big car, that’s the danger and
we're trying to counter-balance that. One of the things we’re trying
to work with here is what can we do and how can we reach out?
Some people like yourself, are tremendous leaders in speaking out
to young people, but some almost have a flippant attitude. They
understand they have certain skills. They didn’t really sign up to
be a leader and yet, they are. How can we best make them aware
of what kind of impact they’re having in the formative years on
junior high and high school kids?

Mr. LeonarD. I think what D.A.R.E. has implemented with
starting these programs at a very early stage with these kids lives,
in the kindergarten and all the way to middle school, then high
school, we must continue to reach these kids at various stages of
their lives, because they change. These kids are growing up so fast
now. They're seeing more things on television and theaters, so we
need to educate them consistently. Again, I must reiterate, it can’t
be a one-shot-deal.

Mr. SouDER. Do you have any message to pro-athletes or movie
stars or musicians who are using drugs, a message to them about
what impact they're having on kids?

Mr. LEONARD. Well, if I had a chance to say something, it would
be simply, “it’s not about you, it’s about our kids’ future, and you
play a major role in what happens with our kids.”

Mr. SOUDER. From what you’ve seen in your program, are you
pretty optimistic that if we made a whole-hearted effort in this
country, if all of us focused on it, not only here in Government and
in Washington, but at the local level, if athletes did, if music did,
if the T.V. industry did, that we could actually have a dramatic re-


17

ball, and not really comfortable with team sports, in general. It just
seemed easier for me to do it by myself, and boxing filled that need.

Although I must say, the first time I competed in boxing gloves,
those gloves were really big. In fact, it was an amateur boy’s club.
And I remember, I got hit so hard the very first time that I cried
and I quit the very next day, so technically speaking, I've had a
long history of retiring and coming back and those kinds of things.
tLanghter.)

But I knew then, that boxing was the right outlet for me. I had
people who believed in me and I had just enough skills to know
that I could compete, and that’s all I needed. So, the next time I
put the gloves on, things were different. I was very focused. I had
developed an intense need to be the best. I remember early on
someone asking me if I wanted to become champion. I said, “yes,
but I want to be special.” And that’s what’s carried me so far—to
be different.

I was so fortunate to have developed an inner strength. Now, I
know every Kid does not have that instinctly; some are born with
it, most champions are not. It’s something that is learned. And
that’s where the D.A.R.E. program and the Sugar Ray Leonard
Youth Foundation come in. We are the adopted mentors—the voice
that tells a kid how drugs destroy the lives of so many; that he or
she can become whatever they desire; that boundaries don’t exist.

In fact, from the beginning when I meet a kid, I tell them, “be
a leader and not a follower.” “Believe in yourself because if you
don’t, no one else will.”

You know, Mr. Chairman, we can spend all the money the Gov-
ernment has to fight the bad guys. But, you know what? If we can
get to the potential buyers before the bad guys get to them, then
the bad guys go out of business—supply and demand. We want the
demand to disappear. This is precisely why D.A.R.E. begins at the
kindergarten level where kids are the most impressionable, and
continues through high school.

T’'ve watched friends of mine succumb to drugs over the years and
I’m sure we all know someone who has fallen victim. Through the
1960’s and 1970’s, drug and alcohol use among our Nation’s youth
increased tremendously. It wasn’t until the mid-1980’s that there
was an actual decline in the usage among high school seniors. Co-
incidentally, that was the same time the D.A.R.E. program was
created. The program and its message spread rapidly at the local
level to schools throughout the country, where drug and alcohol
usage among kids continues on the decline to this very day.

I want you to know that throughout my years in the ring, the
long days of training and pushing myself to the very limit, my ac-
complishment as Olympic gold medal winner and all my profes-
sional titles—when all was said-and-done—my greatest satisfaction
is knowing I can still use my motivational skills to impact and
reach so many thousands of kids everyday. It is, indeed, my dream.

I am here today, because I know that various government-funded
drug awareness programs have come and gone. They get lost in the
shuffle or the Juggling of other assistance or special interest
groups. And, I am here to remind you that D.A.R.E. has been in
existence in every corner of America for 15 years, and they are only
getting stronger. A very tiny portion of their funding currently


23

I HAD PEOPLE WHO BELIEVED IN ME. AND I HAD JUST
ENOUGH SKILLS TO KNOW I COULD COMPETE.
THAT'S ALL I NEEDED. THE NEXT TIME ] PUT THE
GLOVES ON, THINGS WERE DIFFERENT. I WAS VERY
FOCUSED. MAYBE OUT OF FEAR OR HAVING
EXPERIENCED INFERIORITY, BUT I HAD DEVELOPED
AN INTENSE NEED TO BE THE BEST.

1 REMEMBER EARLY ON, SOMEONE ASKING ME IF I
WANTED TO BE CHAMP. I SAID, “NO, I JUST WANT TO
BE SPECIAL.” AND THAT’S WHAT CARRIED ME SO
FAR, TO BE DIFFERENT. I WAS SO FORTUNATE TO
HAVE DEVELOPED AN INNER STRENGTH. [KNOW
NOT EVERY KID HAS THAT, INSTINCTIVELY. SOME
ARE BORN WITH IT. MOST CHAMPIONS ARE NOT.
IT’S SOMETHING THAT IS LEARNED. AND THAT’S
WHERE THE DARE PROGRAM AND THE SUGAR RAY
LEONARD YOUTH FOUNDATION COME IN. WE ARE

THE ADOPTED MENTORS. ....



19

GOOD MORNING, CHAIRMAN HASTERT,
CONGRESSMAN BARRETT, AND MEMBERS OF THE
SUBCOMMITTEE. IT’S AN HONOR TO STAND HERE
BEFORE YOU TODAY TO ADDRESS AN ISSUE THAT I
KNOW IS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE TO ALL OF US
HERE TODAY - DRUG ABUSE AND OUR NATION’S
YOUTH.

HOW OFTEN HAVE YOU HEARD OR READ A STORY
ABOUT A YOUTH WHO HAS FALLEN VICTIM TO
DRUGS OR VIOLENCE AND YOU THINK TO YOURSELF.
“THAT KID HAD A CHOICE. HE MADE THE WRONG
CHOICE. COULDA MADE THE RIGHT ONE.” AND
FROM A DISTANCE, THAT’S AN EASY ASSUMPTION
FOR MANY OF US TO MAKE. WELL, I WANT YOU TO
KNOW THAT FOR THE THOUSANDS OF KIDS WHO ARE
EXPOSED TO DRUGS AND VIOLENCE FROM A YOUNG
AGE, THEY TRULY DON’T BELIEVE THEY HAVE A

CHOICE.


32

duction in drug-use? Or are you more pessimistic about the prob-
lem?

Mr. LEONARD. You know, sir, that’s how I became six-times world
champion—I was very confident, very optimistic. And I truly be-
lieve with everyone coming together, we can make a change. We
can make a difference.

Mr. SoupDER. Thank you very much. I share your optimism. I
think kids today really want to have that hope and really want to
see people reaching out to them. If we can work together, I think
we'll be successful.

Mr. LEONARD. Thank you.

Mr. Hastert. Thank you. I just want to say I really appreciate
your being here today. I think in your testimony, one of the things
that comes to light, an athlete or a movie actor, but especially in
athletics, you don’t win unless you have a will to win. And we real-
ly appreciate you and certainly, Sergeant Kelly and everybody else
here to testify today because you do demonstrate a will to win this
war and to save kids and our grandkids, and that’s what this is
about.

Congress can’t pass a law or a whole series of laws and say we’re
going to save this country from drugs. It’s going to have to be the
American people. It’s certainly going to have to be those people who
have that image that people try to model their life after, people like
you and certainly, Mr. Fitzhugh and others.

We appreciate you doing that and being here and to being reall:
that testimony. It’s certainly my pleasure to have you here. Than!
you very much.

Mr. LEONARD. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Hastert. And at this time, I’d like to recognize Sergeant
Kelly from Chicago who is in-charge of the D.A.R.E. program. Ser-
geant, thanks so much for being with us today.

Sergeant KELLY. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Chairman Hastert,
Congressman Barrett, members of the subcommittee, it is an honor
to have the opportunity to appear before you today to represent
more than 30,000 D.A.R.E. officers nationwide.

As one of the longest serving D.A.R.E. officers in America, I have
seen first-hand the positive impact that this program has had on
our children. Over the last 10 years, I have administered the
D.A.R.E. curriculum to literally thousands of students in Chicago,
and I have watched the program grow throughout the Chicago area
and across the Nation.

I began my career with the Chicago Police Department in 1968
at 22 years of age. I was assigned to undercover investigations, anc
among other things, I spent the next 20 years, working to keep
drugs off the streets. During those years, I saw on a daily basis the
destructive effect that drug abuse can have on individual users, as
well as family members and friends. It can become a demoralizing
job to try to stop the seemingly endless supply of drugs that invade
America’s streets.

After 20 years of watching drugs destroy communities, I jumped
at the opportunity to take part in a new program designed to bring
police officers into the schools to educate children about the dan-
gers of drugs and drug abuse. In 1987, I was one of four officers
selected to administer Chicago’s Drug Abuse Resistance Education


14

‘That is why I am so pleased to be here today as an original co-sponsor of the Drug-Free
Professional and Olympic Athlete Responsibility Resolution. This resolution would call for
professional sports organizations and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to denounce,
in no uncertain terms, all illegal drug use. Going one step further, it would ensure that proper
penalties be issued to drug abusing athletes. Finally, athletes who abuse drugs would be placed
ina drug treatment program to help them break the cycle of dependency.

Unfortunately, we are seeing more and more professional athletes using drugs. Time and
time again, we pick up a newspaper or tune into ESPN and discover that yet another professional
athlete has been arrested for possessing drugs.

‘To make matters worse, professional sports organizations treat this epidemic with kid
gloves. For example, although banned under criminal laws, marijuana is not included in the
NBA’s drug policy as an illegal substance. Even in the recent Winter Olympic Games in
Nagano, the use of marijuana was simply winked at

‘We must seize the opportunity to steer children away from the dangers of drugs. This
resolution is a good step in the right direction.

‘The need for this country’s youngsters to have role models in the “War on Drugs” has
never been greater.

'* Since 1991, the number of 8" graders using marijuana has increased by more than
200 percent and half ofall high school students have used, or are using, illegal drugs.

It bears repeating once again as responsible members of society, itis our duty to
recognize the importance of role models in the lives of today's youth -- especially considering
how bombarded they are with the social pressures that accompany drugs.

Itis through exposure to competent, courageous, and moral individuals that children will
develop the skills needed to promote their healthy development. {I challenge everyone here in
this room to reach out to our country's youth and take full advantage of the ability we have to
‘make a difference in the lives of America's future.

Children need to see in their role models the lessons we as parents and educators try to
teach them daily —all actions have consequences. Until professional sports leagues and the
International Olympic Committee have a zero tolerance for drugs, we as a nation can’t expect to
win the War on Drugs.

‘We must grasp every opportunity we have to steer children away from the dangers of
drugs and toward a productive and resourcefil life.

Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to testify. I will be glad to answer any
questions you might have.


73

I yield back to the chairman.
ir. SOUDER [presiding]. I want to encourage Mr. Fitzhugh to do
one other thing, and that is, if you can find other top defensive
backs, to get them to work for program and retire so that Peyton
Manning and the Indianapolis Colts have a better chance of suc-
ing this year. [Laughter.]

Does anybody have any closing comments that you would like to
make? Any additional comments? I want to thank you all, and I ad-
mire you all for your work in your field for standing up in your
communities. Hopefully, we can continue to work together as we
work with legislation, not only this year, but I agree with Gen.
McCaffrey, it is a cancer in addition to a war. People are dying
overseas; they are dying on our streets. So it is clearly a war, but
it is also something that is not going to go away in a year or two
even if we push it down.

you for your help and we look forward to working with

you.
And with that, the hearing stands adjourned.
[Whereupon, at 3:40 p.m., the subcommittee adjourned subject of
the call of the Chair.)
ie)


Bill Ellis/Page 2

It is a national tragedy that 6 to 8 million kids under the age of 18 are now using
illegal drugs, Instead of poppin’ fly balls or playing with dolls...they're poppin’
pills. .or smoking crack

It is horrifying that in 1998, 1 in 11 kids under 18 continue to experiment with and
use drugs

Youth drug abuse is truly a national tragedy that none of us can ignore. We must
fight it in any and every way that we can.

In 1966, with the leadership of Kmart's Chairman, President and CEO, Floyd Hall,
we launched an unprecedented national effort to fight drug abuse in our own unique
way.

We formed The Kmart Family Foundation, a 501c(3) organization that exists solely
for the purpose of raising and contributing funds to grassroots, drug fighting
organizations in the communities we serve nationwide.

In August of 1996, we unveiled the Kmart Kids Race Against Drugs...a fun, family-
oriented event that encourages healthy competition for children who are 7 to 12
years old. Kids race against the clock on safety-modified lawn tractors for the
chance to win scholarships...to meet heroes who know that winners are drug-
free...and in doing so, for each child who races, $5 is donated to local drug-fighting
programs.

Ina few minutes, I'll share a video tape which illustrates the excitement and reach of
this program.

We knew from the beginning that it would only be successful if we could get some
of America's most recognized celebrities to endorse and personally participate in the
program

Legendary actor and race enthusiast Paul Newman, who understands first-hand the
devastation that drugs can have on a family...as well as Jaclyn Smith and Kathy
Ireland--not only popular, talented and attractive actresses but also caring moms--
signed on as Honorary Co-chairs of The Kmart Family Foundation.


6

I also commend the D.A.R.E. programs as we go back to our re-
spective States on weekends, we see the D.A.R.E. signs on the po-
lice cars and know the work they're doing, and schools and apart-
ment complexes around the country, and I’m delighted that they
could join us today. And as many other anti-drug programs around
the country. I’m involved in the Fellowship Christian Athletes and
the One Way to Play Drug-Free program that they’re Promoting in
junior high and high schools around the country. And I commend
them all for their efforts.

Mr. Chairman and Mr. Barrett, the ranking member, I commend
you all for having this hearing today and helping to raise the con-
scious level hopefully, of America, through this hearing, raising the
conscious level of America and especially American young people
about the dangers of drugs.

Mr. Chairman, to whom much is given, much is expected and
whether they want to be athletes or role models for so many young
people and they have a special responsibility to set an example for
children. This is part of their responsibility as public figures. Ath-
letes have to accept the responsibility they have as civic leaders.
That is why, I hope, major sports leagues like the NFL, the NBA,
major league baseball, the National Hockey League, and the Inter-
national iympic Committee will send a much clearer message in
the future that the use of illegal drugs is wrong and dangerous and
will not be tolerated. I hope these sports leagues will seek to more
severely punish those players who break the law by using drugs.

Whether or not athletes like to admit it, again, they are role
models for our children. My children don’t always listen to what I
have to say as a father, but they hang on every word that star
players like Michael Jordan or John Elway or Venus Williams say.

The NBA, currently, does not test players for marijuana use or
automatically punish them for that use. How can it be that profes-
sional basketball players can use illegal drugs and not be automati-
cally suspended for breaking the law? Also, during the 1998 winter
olympics, a snowboarding athlete tested positive for marijuana but
was allowed to keep his gold medal. This, I believe, sends a bad
message to our children. Sports leagues need to clear up loopholes
like this, otherwise, children will think sports leagues and athletes
think using drugs is cool and acceptable.

Today, professional athletes like Cal Ripken, Jr., Troy Aikman,
Lisa Leslie and Jackie Joyner-Kersee all have thousands of young
men and women who look up to them for cues on how to conduct
themselves. If these four particular athletes can set a great exam-
pe for our children and avoid using illegal drugs, so can other ath-
letes.

Athletes must respect the times in which we live today. Drug use
is on the rise. Marijuana is popular. The use of some very potent
forms of heroin is on the rise. Our children are playing games with
their lives by using drugs. High-profile athletes who get caught
using drugs are sending children a message, intentionally or not,
that using drugs is OK. This is unacceptable. Sports leagues must
hold athletes accountable for their lack of judgment. While the ulti-
mate responsibility for teaching children right from wrong lies with
parents, there is no question celebrities influence children just as
much as parents do. refore, athletes have a responsibility to set


29

Mr. HasTerT. Well, thank you, Mr. Leonard. We certainly appre-
ciate your being here today. And I think supporting these kids and
kids throughout this country that you’re here and to hear someone
like you give his testimony.

What, in your mind—and you've been a pioneer—you’ve worked
with D.A.R.E., you've created the programs that you have in your
areas—we believe, very importantly and my own personal experi-
ence as a coach and athlete over the years that, examples do make
a difference to kids. How can we, in Congress, best help people like
you who want to get that message across?

Mr. LEONARD. We, as athletes, particularly athletes, have such
an impact on the lives of so many millions of children. They are
so impressionable that they try to emulate us. I think programs
like D.A.R.E. with its consistency to educate, support and embrace
these kids will make a major difference.

Mr. Hastert. Thank you.

The gentleman from Wisconsin.

Mr. BARRETT. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

It’s a pleasure to have you here. I was particularly struck by
your comments about develo ing a confidence and a belief in your-
self. It made me think of a little talk that I give at times in high
school and talk about Michael Jordan, who was cut from his high
school basketball team, but he believed in himself. Or President
Clinton, who the first time he ran for office, actually ran for Con-
gress and was defeated, but believed in himself. Or, Oprah
Winfrey, who is probably best associated with Chicago, but grew up
in_a public housing project in Milwaukee and believed in herself.

Not everybody’s going to achieve the same that you or those
other three, but there’s a lot of young people here today and how
would you convey to them, the best way to believe in themselves?
What helped you to believe in yourself, even after you started cry-
ing when somebody hit you?

Mr. LEONARD. I think the message that is sent to so many kids
is the fact that, if you don’t win, that you’re nothing. I think we
must convey to kids that you’re a winner if you try hard. It stems
from a corporate standpoint, endorsement standpoint that, if you’re
not a winner, we don’t need you. These kids are winners by being
nice kids, by going to school and getting their education, we have
to assure them that they are somebody.

Mr. BARRETT. Again, when you were a young child, was it your
teachers, your family, was it yourself, what do you think instilled
that in you?

Mr. LEONARD. Fortunately, for me, I had a mother and father
that worked so hard to support their family, but they were always
there to give me love, give me support. I think, that too, is missing
with so many kids. They don’t have the love, support, and edu-
cation that they need to get by in everyday life.

Mr. BarRETT. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Barr. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Now, Mr. Leonard, you talked for a little bit about the D.A.R.E.
program in which you're heavily involved. And you mentioned that
that program relies heavily on corporate funding from the private
sector. Could you elaborate a little bit on that? Perhaps, identify


65

Mr. SoupeERr. Well, thank you very much for your testimony, and
your song, and your patience being the clean-up hitter on the
panel. [Laughter.]

At least everybody only had one take or we could have been here
a long time, including the Members of Congress.

We have a vote on and we are going to be back in a few minutes
for the questions, but I wanted to put a poster out that I’m going
to ask you to comment on. We have a number of companies that,
in my opinion, aren’t behaving like K-Mart. Addidas has a new
hempamania shoe; Tower Books and Records has a display on how
to make drugs, and this particular poster is in windows of every
mall practically across the country right now from the Body Shop
promoting hemp marijuana-related products. And I would like to
see and hear some of your comments, as well as Dr. Gold, on ci-
gars, and some of our leaders using that as a victory celebration
much like you mentioned on smoking.

With that we stand in recess.

[Recess.]

Mr. Barr [presiding]. Thank you all very much. The schedule, as
you all can probably tell, around here is a little bit jumbled up here
sometimes, and flexibility is the key word.

We are going to have a vote in a few minutes and Mr. Souder
will be back to take over the Chair of the subcommittee in a few
minutes after he votes. But in the meantime, if I could ask just a
couple of questions.

ir. Fitzhugh, what, in your view, is the benefit to faith-based
anti-drug programs? Do you think that should be an important
component of our overall drug effort? Maybe particularly as it re-
lates to our young people?

Mr. FitzHuGu. I think that’s a good question. Particularly at the
recent summit on volunteerism, a lot of my colleagues who—I did
not attend, but I had colleagues that shared with me that across
the board some of the faith-based programs and volunteering Re
grams were some of the most effective. My response is simply this:

have worked with a lot of students from a lot of different back-
grounds. I guess some of my expertise would be with primarily the
students from the most hardened backgrounds and communities,
and some of the most challenged communities, and some of the
most at-risk youth. I believe all of our students are at-risk.

What faith-based simply does is challenges not just a change of
attitude, not just a change of curriculum, not just a change of
knowledge, I think foundationally, it’s a change of heart. And when
you have that internal change, as opposed to some of the external
change and pressure, it has in my experience been some of the
most effective starting with me.

Being a person who grew up in a very challenged community
with a lot of negative images all around, including dru and alcohol
use and abuse, my revolution personally began when I came to the
realization that, although I may not have been my parents’ inten-
tion, I was God’s intention, and I had purpose an stiny, and all
those sorts of things in my life. So a of heart came, and
that change of heart gave me a backdrop of truth to lay all of my
realities against. And what I thought was my destiny and going to
be my ity at one point, which was very discouraging, I realized,


67

the corporate community was sensitive to the fact that there are
a lot of people who run into this kind of thing on a different level,
and it is destroying lives, I think they would be a little more sen-
sitive to how freely they do this kind of advertising. Because the
students I work with, when they see this i doubt that they ever see
those words. [Laughter]

Those words won’t be the message. The message is this is
“weed.” As a matter of fact, I had a young man tell me last week
he said, “Steve, weed has been good for me.” He sells drugs; he
sells weed; he doesn’t sell crack; he sells weed and he tells me,
“Steve, weed has been good for me.” I said you’re incarcerated
aren’t : you? He said, yes, but I've only been locked up 126 days. I
said, if you have been locked up for an hour it’s a tragedy because
all the money in the world can’t buy back 1 hour of the time you
have been locked up. But his perception is, “Weed has been good
for him.” So I think the corporate community has to be sensitive
to how compromise and rebellion is destroying our communities.

Mr. SouDER. I know that I have in addition to a 10-year-old,
more Mr. McClure’s age, I have a son who is turning 19 in 2 weeks,
and a daughter who just turned 21 yesterday. But one of the things
that kids talk about is how hemp is different and it was in rope.
That symbol doesn’t, as you say the words, isn’t there, Mr. Ellis,
which says, for the record, “Hemp Revival for Skin Survival.”

Mr. Ellis at K-Mart one of my frustrations, a few years ago I felt

walking into a mall in Fort Wayne, it was almost like being back
in the 1960’s. You go to Urban Outfitters, or to the record stores
and see this leaf on all kinds of record albums, see it on hats, on
t-shirts. Does K-Mart have any kind of policy on what you will sell
and not sell regarding schedule 1 substances and that type of thing
in even in your clothing, or that type of thing in let alone advertis-
ing?
Mr. ELLs. I would be lying to you if I said I could quote a cor-
porate policy, but we very much feel that we are a family store, a
family corporation, and we guard that reputation very, very closely.
And I think a poster like that is really a sad statement on our soci-
ety. That anyone who would spend advertising money, and develop
an advertising campaign, and feel that that is an effective, positive
influence to bring customers into their store is really a sad state-
ment, I believe, and kind of indicative of where we are today with
our attitude toward drugs.

Going back to what Sugar Ray Leonard was saying earlier, can
we defeat the problem, can we have a real influence on things? And
I think if you study—and I’m not a drug expert, I’m a K-Mart op-
erations guy who happened to get involved in a program that we
think is phenomenal. But if you look at the history of drug usage
in this country, we’ve had serious Problems, and we've gotten on
top of them. We've kind of dropped the ball and let the problem
grow again, and this has happened many times in the last 100
years. And I think this is again, indicative of where we are facing
this drug problem today, that this is acceptable and it is sending
that message to the kids again.

Mr. SouDER. So, in effect, you’re saying at a time when we have
all these people going to the emergency rooms, kids in my home-
town doing drive-by shootings, and shooting up other kids, includ-


68

one 4-year-old who died, and another one diving under the

sofa_totally innocent; hit the wrong house, but they thought it was

somebody who had been involved in some broken drug deal—you’re

saying that this isn’t particularly helpful? Is that the bottom line?
ir. ELLIS. Exactly.

Mr. SoupER. Dr. Gold, one question I get repeatedly when I go
to high schools is, well, tobacco and alcohol are legal. One of my
common responses is, if tobacco and alcohol were coming on the
market today with what we know, we would not legalize them.
That’s no argument to legalize marijuana. And in fact, what we
have been doing is tightening alcohol and tobacco steadily, particu-
larly as information comes out on secondhand smoke, which I be-
lieve will be the next wave to hit us in a society which, quite frank-
ly, marijuana secondhand smoke may be there as well. We don’t
know that, but research has been so suppressed on a lot of these
subjects and inaccurately give to us.

Could you elaborate a little bit on you mentioned about in the
movies, but I said I was going to ask about the cigars which cer-
tainly are a big, trendy thing. It seems like we move from one
thing to another. It’s grab the gusto for a while. It’s all of which
are some kind of trying to add something artificial to our basic
selves in order to try to look more important. To some degree,
that’s what human beings do, but this is actually changing us and
damaging us.

Mr. GOLp. Well, thank you for the question. Our work has dealt
with what do drugs have in common, Tow can we understand drug
effects on the brain, and how all of that relates to prevention.
When you first look at the cigar data, you might say that all of that
is cigar smoking. Some of the cigar smoking may actually be mari-
juana smoking in a cigar vehicle. Smoking itself is the gateway

drug.

The D.A.R.E. program starts with smoking lessons. The D.A.R.E.
people would say that smoking is the entry way for drugs, and
even greater than that we know as researchers is that smoking,
learning to smoke, that that’s the way drugs have of gaining a
broader foothold. So that if you could prevent anything, you would

event smoking which is the inhalation of drug vapors. Smoking
‘or researchers who study this is virtually identical to injecting a
drug intravenously with a needle. It gets to the brain that fast. It
influences the brain chemistry that fast. It causes profound
changes that ordinarily would not occur if the drug was taken by
any other route. So by taking our eye off the ball of cigar smoking,
or marijuana smoking, we have many young people today who have
gotten to tobacco second; that they {onrned smoking and now are
smoking cigarettes because they are more widely available. I think
there was a recent report associated with a CDC release on concur-
rent use of marijuana and tobacco on African American youth.

Prevention starts, in our opinion, with smoking prevention. If
you don’t learn how to inhale drug vapors, it is very difficult to
start with crack. You have to start the process of learning how to
deliver drugs to your brain through your lungs. So all of our efforts
are devoted to smoking prevention. And I think you are correct
that if you look at the preventable causes of death, looking at the
currently available statistics, you would put environmental tobacco


26

IT WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THROUGHOUT ALL MY
YEARS IN THE RING;... THE LONG DAYS OF TRAINING
AND PUSHING MYSELF;... THE RUN TO THE OLYMPIC
AND MY PROFESSIONAL TITLES,... WHEN ALL WAS
SAID AND DONE,... MY GREATEST SATISFACTION IS
KNOWING I CAN STILL USE MY MOTIVATIONAL
SKILLS TO IMPACT AND REACH SO MANY
THOUSANDS OF KIDS EVERY DAY. IT’S MY DREAM.
1AM HERE TODAY BECAUSE I KNOW THAT VARIOUS
GOVERNMENT FUNDED DRUG AWARENESS
PROGRAMS HAVE COME AND GONE. THEY GET LOST
IN THE SHUFFLE OR THE JUGGLING OF OTHER
ASSISTANCE OR SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS. ANDI
AM HERE TO REMIND YOU THAT DARE HAS BEEN IN
EXISTENCE IN MOST EVERY CORNER OF AMERICA
FOR FIFTEEN YEARS AND THEY ARE ONLY GETTING
STRONGER. A VERY TINY PORTION OF THEIR
FUNDING CURRENTLY COMES FROM GOVERNMENT

SOURCES.


3

and really succeeded to come forth and bring the message that’s so
important for the young people to hear.

Thank you for being here today.

Mr. Hastert. I'd like to welcome two Members of Congress who
demonstrated not only the athletic prowess but also their commit-
ment to public service and leading by example. I'd also ask the
Speaker who, I think, right now is talking to a few young people,
if he would like to come forward and offer his statement?

So, without any further ado, I’d like to introduce the Speaker of
the House, Newt Gingrich—as soon as he gets through the crowd
here. [Laughter.]

Speaker of the House.

STATEMENT OF HON. NEWT GINGRICH, SPEAKER OF THE
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND A REPRESENTATIVE IN
CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF GEORGIA

Mr. GINGRICH. Well, let me thank Mr. Hastert, who introduced
me and thank you very much for letting me come over here. Also,
I thank my two colleagues for Jetting me take a moment or two.

I want to thank Sugar Ray Leonard and Steve Fitzhugh for com-
ing today and for helping us.

I want to thank all of the young people who are here in their t-
shirts because I think it’s very important—guys like me who are
gray-haired and 55-years-old, we’re not going to affect your friends.
We're out of it. It’s unimaginable that our voice matters. But if you
have the courage in your school and your neighborhood, with your
friends, and if you have the courage, icularly, with younger
children who look up to you, we found that as a general rule, chil-
dren about 3 years younger, look up and think that you're a big
person. You may think somebody else is a big person, think about
who you look up to.

I think when you wear those shirts and when you go back home
and talk about the importance of not being involved with drugs, I
think you do make a big impact and I want to thank every single
young person who is here. I apologize if they made you sit on the
floor, but I’m really delighted that you're here.

You should make sure they get brought by to see my dinosaur.
I have a tyrannosaurs-rex skull over at the office. So, if you would
like to come over after you’re done here, we'll try to arrange for you
to come through and see it, OK? It’s in the Capitol. I also have the
best view in the city on the porch there. So, we'll make sure you
all get to go out and maybe get a picture on the porch. All right?

Mr. Watts. Would the gentleman yield?

Mr. GINGRICH. Yes, we would yield.

Mr. Warts. I don’t have a dinosaur in my office, but I do have
Oklahoma peanuts and you all are welcomed to them. [Laughter.]

Mr. GINGRICH. You know, it pains a Georgian to have that ref-
erence made when I yield to you. [Laughter.]

But, I’m not guing to get into a Georgia peanut-Oklahoma peanut
competition. So, if you would, stop by Mr. Watt’s office, take all of
his peanuts and then come on over. [Laughter.]

But I do appreciate you being here because you're a key part of
what we're all about. You also are helping make a point about how
in the long-run, we’re really going to win the war on drugs, which


2

behavior. As a former coach and athlete, I certainly know the rig-
ors of training. I know what it is to win and I know what it is to
lose. I certainly understand that athletes in the limelight, particu-
larly in the pro-ranks, are under enormous pressure and stress.
Drugs can become a powerful enticement, but they also dam
bodies, they wreck minds, and they put at risk people’s public
image. Athletes and celebrities are heroes to kids and we believe
they should be drug-free. Everyone has a responsibility in the war
on the drugs—parents, employers, teachers, coaches, athletes and
actors.

As chairman of this subcommittee and the Speaker’s Drug-Free
America Task Force, I pledge that we will fight to deter demand,
stop supply and increase accountability. We are in this for the long
haul, and we are in this to win.

T also want to say that Congressman J.C. Watts will be introduc-
ing a resolution that promotes drug-free athletes both on and off
the field and that Congressman Jim Ryun and Congressman Jim
Bunning are serving as original co-sponsors.

With that, I'd now like to recognize my good friend, a Congress-
man from Wisconsin, Tom Barrett, for his opening statement. Mr.

jarrett.

Mr. BARRETT. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and welcome to Sports
Illustrated, live. We’ve got some great athletes here today and
some other figures who are important in the world of entertain-
ment and education, law enforcement, and each and everyone of
them is a leader in our fight against drugs.

General McCaffrey, who heads the office that oversees this issue,
has often pointed that young people who steer clear of drugs, alco-
hol, and tobacco before they turn 18, are likely to avoid drug prob-
lems over the entire course of their lives. The question is: How do
we, help them along the way? And how do we help them to get to

We have an ongoing media campaign, organized by the Office of
National Drug Policy, to change attitudes about drugs. The point
of that campaign is to counteract the barrage of messages that we
take in from the popular media that glamorize drug use or make
it seem normal. We have witnesses today who can talk about the
D.A.R.E. program which brings police officers into schools to teach
youngsters how to resist drugs and gangs. We just have to send out
the word, in as many ways as possible, that drugs ruin lives, that

rugs kill.

Len Bias’ death, 10 years ago, sent out that message in a power-
ful way. He was an extraordinary athlete, a model of health and
unlimited potential, who was stopped dead in his tracks by cocaine.
The same is true of many popular figures who died before their
time—River Phoenix, Chris Farley, John Belushi.

But there’s a need for positive role models in public life, people
who got to where they are precisely because they kept away from
drugs. Many of our witnesses today who are that kind of role
model, and I look forward to hearing how they and others, both in
public and in everyday life, can send the right message and make
a difference.

And speaking as someone who got cut from many athletic teams,
I think it’s important that we have the people who are the stars


15

h Mr. Hastert. Thank you, gentlemen, and thank you for being
ere.

Tm going to recess the committee for about a couple minutes. We
have to 80 make a vote. I’ll be back shortly. Thank you very much.

CESS.

Mr. HASTERT. If the subcommittee would now come to order, at
this time, I'd like to welcome our second panel.

I would like to introduce the person who is making his way to
the table at this time, I’m greatly honored to have with us today
Sugar Ray Leonard. Sugar Ray is a man who is a household name.
Although Sugar Ray needs no introduction, I will mention that he
is a world-renowned boxing champion. If I remember it right, I
think, five different championships and different fighter and weight
classes—maybe multiple.

But, anyway, aside from his stellar career, he formed the Sugar
Ray Leonard Youth Foundation in 1996 which has become one of
the foremost organizations that has as its goals educating children
about the dangers of drugs.

It is also a pleasure this afternoon to introduce a prominent
D.A.R.E. officer from Chicago, Sergeant Sid Kelly. I also want to
thank D.A.R.E. for all the D.A.R.E. students that are present today
from the area including Prince George’s County, Baltimore, Manas-
sas Park, and Loudon County.

We also welcome Dr. Mark Gold, from the neuroscience and psy-
chiatry department at the University of Florida. Dr. Gold is a
prominent name in the academic community associated with re-
search on drug issues.

Steve Fitzhugh is another star athlete, formerly with the Denver
Broncos. Steve is now with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes
where he serves as a Washington, DC director. He is also founder
and head of PowerMoves, a national youth organization which uses
the power of athletics, academics, and the arts to encourage young
people for successful careers. Steve has been referred to as the
“chaplain to the pros” because of his inspiration talks to the Bron-
cos and the Washington Redskins and the New York Giants and
the Detroit Lions.

I would also like to welcome Bill Ellis, division vice president
with K-Mart’s Kids’ Race Against Drugs program. K-Mart’s dedi-
cation to this fight is commendable and we are very pleased to
have you here today.

And finally, I am pleased that our youngest witness, Mr. Bryton
McClure, can be with us here from the popular television program,
“Family Matters.” I understand that Bryton’s father is in the audi-
ence and thank him for coming today to this hearing.

We look forward to hearing from each of you and we hope that
you'll provide us with new ideas about how to teach young people
to resist illegal drugs and the pitfalls and personal tragedies that
befall those who fall prey to the powerful temptation of illicit nar-
cotics.

There’s a rule of our committee that we swear-in all of our wit-
nesses. I'd ask you please, all to stand and raise your right hands.

[Witnesses sworn.]

Mr. Hastert. Let the record show that the witnesses answered
in the affirmative.


5

back in the arena, because that would begin to set up a sanction
and frankly, make it pretty scary for dealers to be involved.

But I think we should say, “this is illegal, this is not about opin-
ion, it’s not about social standing, it’s not about what you like to
do for recreational, it is against the law in the United States.” And
I don’t think it’s too much to ask professional sports to be commit-
ted to obeying the law and to ask professional sports to ask their
Participants to be committed to obeying the law.

So, I want to commend the leadership that Chairman Hastert
has shown in developing these approaches. I think it is very impor-
tant that we focus on the issue of athletics. Again, I want to go
back because I don’t think this is an unfair trade.

We pass billions of dollars in municipal bonds that are tax-free
in order to build stadiums. We have all sorts of concessions that
involve televisions. We have tax-deductible advertising. We have
all sorts of ways in which Government has subsidized and encour-
aged the development of an industry which is nationwide and
worldwide. And all we’re asking of people who become famous, and
very often rich, is that they be good citizens and good stewards,
and that they insist on belonging to a league that sets the right
standard.

I hope that every professional sports league will set the right
standard. I would urge the players and the commissioners, come
out and talk to these young people wearing these D.A.R.E. t-shirts.
Go out and talk to young people in any town in this country. Listen
to how much they look up to those stars and ask yourself, isn’t it
fair for us to ask those stars to be proudly drug-free, to be the right
role models and isn’t it fair to protect the court, and protect the
field, and protect the rink from people who are not willing to be
drug-free?

iL thank you very, very much for allowing me to be here. [Ap-
plause.

Mr. Hastert. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s a pleasure to have
two distinguished Congressmen and in their past lives, very distin-
guished athletes.

I would like to introduce Congressman J.C. Watts, from Okla-
homa and the Congressman Jim Ryun, from Kansas to testify here
today.

Congressman Watts, please proceed with your opening.

STATEMENTS OF HON. J.C. WATTS, A REPRESENTATIVE IN
CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA; AND HON. JIM
RYUN, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE
OF KANSAS

Mr. Watts. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'd like to thank, as well,
Steve Fitzhugh and Sugar Ray Leonard for being with us this
afternoon.

I recall, Mr. Chairman, back in the 1970’s when I was in Okla-
homa I saw a fight at Lloyd Noble Center on campus, the second
fight between Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran. And, being
the big Sugar Ray Leonard fan that I was, I remember making a
complete idiot of myself by standing in the chairs and screaming
and yelling for Sugar Ray Leonard. Finally, I’m getting to meet
him today and I am delighted and honored to meet him.


21

1 CAN'T GET YOU ANY FAST MONEY, BUT HANG WITH
ME AND I'LL TEACH YOU HOW MONEY WORKS.
TAKE A LONG WALK DOWN A MUCH LONGER
STREET?

THAT MENTOR STANDING ON THAT SAME STREET
CORNER -- THAT’S DARE. AND IT’S BECAUSE OF
DARE THAT I FORMED THE SUGAR RAY LEONARD
YOUTH FOUNDATION. WORKING TOGETHER, WE
HOPE TO GIVE EVERY CHILD WE CAN REACH THE
SAME OPPORTUNITIES MANY OF US HAD AS KIDS.
THROUGH EDUCATION AND SUPPORT, THAT THESE
KIDS SO BADLY NEED TO RESIST DRUGS, DARE CAN
QUITE LITERALLY CHANGE THE FACE OF THAT
PUZZLE KNOWN AS AMERICA’S FUTURE. A MENTOR
FOR EVERY NEEDY KID. WOULDN’T THAT BE GREAT.
THINK OF THE POSSIBILITIES.

I STAND BEFORE YOU AS A TESTAMENT TO THE
POWER OF A MENTOR, SUPPORT AND BELIEF IN

ONE’S SELF.


SHATTERING THE MYTHS OF THE DRUG
CULTURE—CELEBRITY ROLE MODELS JUST SAY
NO

HEARING

BEFORE THE

SUBCOMMITTEE ON NATIONAL SECURITY,
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE

OF THE

COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT
REFORM AND OVERSIGHT
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

ONE HUNDRED FIFTH CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION

JUNE 18, 1998

Serial No. 105-194

Printed for the use of the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight

ee

U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
58-031 CC WASHINGTON : 1999

For sale by the U.S, Government Printing Office
Superintendent of Documents, Congressional Sales Office, Washington, DC 20402

ISBN 0-16-058235-0
3



44

Last year the Scientific Board recommended a major
campaign to revamp and expand the DARE Middle School
curriculum to reinforce the core elementary school program.
Research clearly has shown that continuous prevention or
booster reinforcement of drug prevention skills is vital in
reducing drug use. We felt that a committed effort to
expand the frequency of DARE program messages being given
to middle school students would have a noticeable impact on
youth drug abuse. DARE America responded to this challenge
by creating the “DARE Middle School Campaign” designed to
bring DARE into every middle school by the year 2001. I
understand that the Campaign is currently seeking funding
from Congress and I urge you to support this important
effort.

In May,1998 I was among the members of the DARE
Scientific Advisory Board who came to Washington to attend
a joint Department of Justice / Department of Education
workshop. Participants included prominent drug prevention
researchers and other experts. Our task was to review the
DARE curricula and recommend changes and enhancements.
Among the national experts and researchers present at the
May meeting were Dr. Gil Botvin, Dr. Richard Clayton, and
Dr. Dennis Rosenbaum -scientists who have studied DARE and
reported on different curriculum and approaches for

prevention.

I am happy to report that the workshop was extremely
productive, with everyone setting aside past differences to
focus on the task of improving drug education. The outcome
of the workshop was that DARE America, prevention experts,
and the scientific advisory board have agreed to implement


sara secuery Congress of the United States ace a
seem enn ios Bouse of Representatives
TeausronranoN a6 ‘Washington, WC 20513-3604

‘Statement by Congressman J.C. Watts of Oklahoma in Support of
Stricter Rules Against Drug Abuse in Professional and Olympic Sports
Given before the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Affairs and Criminal Justice,
‘Congressman J. Dennis Hastert, Chairman
June 17, 1998.

Mr. Chairman, the Scriptures tell us, “To whom much is given, much is expected.” Since athletes
are role models for so many youth, they have a special responsibility to set a yood example for
ctilen ‘This is part of their responsibility as public figures, Athletes have to accept the

ibility they have as civic leaders. That is why I hope major sports leagues like the NFL,
NBA, Major League Baseball, the NHL andthe International Olympic Commitee will send a
much clearer message in the future that the use of illegal drugs is wrong and dangerous. | hope
these sports leagues will seek to more severely punish those players who break the law.

Whether or not athletes like to admit it, they are role models for our children, My children don’t
always listen to what I have to say as their father, but they hang on to every word star players like
Kobe Bryant, Venus Williams, or Barry Sanders say.

The National Basketball Association currently does not test players for marijuana use or
‘automatically punish them for that use. How can it be that professional basketball players can use
‘legal drugs and not be automatically suspended for breaking the law? Also, during the 1998
‘Winter Olympics, a snowboarding athlete tested positive for marijuana but was allowed to keep
his gold medal. This, too, sends a bad message to our children. Sports leagues need to clear up
Joopholes like this; otherwise, children will think that sports leagues and athletes think using drugs
is cool and acceptable.

Today, professional athletes like Cal Ripken, Jr, Troy Aikman, Lisa Leslie and Jackie Joyner-
Kersee all have thousands of young men and women who look up to them for cues on how to
Ddehave. If these four particular athletes can set a great example for our children and avoid using
illegal drugs, so can other athletes.

fathletes aren't willing to be good rofe models, they should not be allowed to play in sports.
Players must respect the times in which we live in today. Drug use is on the rise. Marijuana is
popular. The use of some very potent forms of heroin is on the rise. Our children are playing
games with their lives by using drugs. High-profile athletes who get caught using drugs, like
Chris Webber, are sending children a message, intentionally or not, that using drugs is cool. This
is unacceptable.


7

a good example for our children. That example includes avoiding
the use of illegal drugs.

Sports leagues should back up their rhetoric with action, and
send a clear message to children that drug use is wrong. They will
get that message loud and clear when they see, for example, that
an all-star basketball Player, football player, baseball or whatever
sport with the $70 million contract has been suspended for a year
without pay because he used illegal drugs. When children see that
type of example being set, they will understand that using drugs
is a serious mistake to be avoided. Children will also understand
the importance of making good decisions and exercising self-con-
trol.

We must also recognize, Mr. Chairman, that while sports leagues
can make rules, players have to abide by them and agree to them
in their collective bargaining agreements. I hope professional ath-
letes are willing to work with sports leagues to craft rules which
are very tough and punitive to those athletes who set a bad exam-
ples for our children, but rules that are fair and judicious. If both
players and sport owners approach this process in good faith, good
rules can be established and society can benefit from this coopera-
tion.

We have a good chance of significantly reducing the use of illegal
drugs in America if sports leagues and athletes will stand up and
be counted, and send a strong message to our children that only
foolish people use drugs. The best way to send that message is lead
by example.

And, Mr. Chairman, as I close I say that, there is a difference,
I believe, America today is sending a clarion call for heroes and
there is a real difference between heroes and celebrities. Celebrities
are known for being known, but heroes are known for their values
and especially for their values and their principles when it comes
to drug use.

And I appreciate again, Mr. Chairman and Mr. Barrett you all
allowing me to be here today and be a part of this hearing.

[The prepared statement of Hon. J.C. Watts follows:]


57

Bill Ellis/Page 1

Like you, every day I wear many hats. As the Divisional Vice president of the
Kmart Kids Race Against Drugs and a 25-year Company veteran...] am an executive
with an important job to do. But like many of you, I'm also a husband...a golfer...an
uncle...and, most importantly, a parent.

And while I worry about achieving my quarterly results...remembering my
anniversary...and even bettering my game...there is nothing that worries me more
than my children--their safety, their security and their vulnerability.

Talso know that I am not alone in my concerns. Parents throughout our nation
worry about their children...and one of their biggest fears is drug addiction...and all
the troubles and destruction that can come when their kids choose drugs as a way to
be cool...to cope...or to test their curiosity,

In fact, a few years ago as Kmart conducted extensive customer research to help
guide our strategic tumaround...we asked our shoppers what they worry about...and.
their children were their biggest concern and drug abuse was their greatest fear.

But I guess that should surprise none of us. The pervasiveness of drugs keeps
growing stronger on our playgrounds...at the neighborhood hang-out...and in the
hallways of our schools.

Adding to that, there are just far too many negative images in entertainment...in
athletics...and in our hometowns of people who kids should respect disappointing us
by turing to a life of drugs.

We are facing statistics which suggest that at a younger age than ever before,
children are actively experimenting and using drugs

We know that today there are 15 million youth in the United States who are "at
risk"...who don't have the safety nets, the caring adults, essential to help them along
the way...


40

Last year, the Scientific Board recommended a major campaign
to revamp and expand the D.A.R.E. middle school curriculum to re-
inforce the core elementary school program. Research clearly has
shown that continuous prevention or booster reinforcement of drug
prevention skills is vital in reducing drug use. We felt that a com-
mitted effort to expand the frequency of D.A.R.E. program mes-
sages being given to middle school students would have a notice-
able impact on youth drug abuse. D.A.R.E. America responded to
this challenge by creating the D.A.R.E. Middle School Campaign
designed to bring D.A.R.E. into every middle school by the year
2001. I understand that the campaign is currently seeking funding
from Congress and I urge to support this important effort.

In May 1998, I was among the members of the D.A.R.E. Sci-
entific Advisory Board who came to Washington to attend a joint
Department of Justice/Department of Education workshop. Partici-
pants included prominent drug prevention researchers and other
experts. Our task was to review the D.A.R.E. curriculum and rec-
ommend changes and enhancements. Among the national experts
and researches present at that May meeting were Dr. Gil Botvin,
Dr. Richard Clayton, and Dr. Dennis Rosenbaum—scientists who
have studied D.A.R.E. and reported on different curriculum and ap-
proaches for prevention.

I am happy to report that the workshop was extremely produc-
tive, with everyone setting aside past differences to focus on the
task of improving drug education. The outcome of the workshop
was that D.A.R.E. America, prevention experts, and the scientific
advisory board have agreed to implement several new pilot pro-
grams. These programs will test various competing instructor/cur-
riculum models in grades K-12, under the umbrella of the D.A.R.E.
program. As anyone in the prevention field will tell you, this is in-
deed landmark news.

I would like to submit, for the record, a letter from the chairman
of the D.A.R.E. Advisory Board, Dr. Herb Kleber. This letter which
is being sent to the Congressional Appropriations Committee, re-
ports on the success of the workshop, and outlines the plans for the
new pilot projects. In order to test and implement these new pilot
projects, D.A.R.E. is seeking $5 million in funding, and I hope that
you would support this historic partnership.

Before I turn my time over for any questions that you might
have, I would quickly like to address one final issue—measuring
the success of ig education programs. Let us take a quick look
at the Nation’s No. 1 drug problem, tobacco. In recent years, youth
tobacco use, rather than decreasing as might be expected with re-
cent publicity, has increased. Increases in tobacco related deaths
and disability resulting from this surge in smoking are expected by
all experts,

According to recent figures by the University of Michigan ciga-
rette smoking has increased from 1991 to the current year among
8th-graders, 10th-graders and 12th-graders. According to recent
CDC reports cigarette smoking among African American students
has increased from 12.6 percent in 1991 to 22.7 percent in 1997.
Smoking by Hispanic students has had a similar increase; from
1991 of 25.3 percent to 34 percent in 1997. Smokeless tobacco is
also on the rise. In 1995, 3.6 percent of high school seniors used


28

LET THE GROWTH CONTINUE. IT’S ABOUT THE
FUTURE. COULD IT BE ANY SIMPLER?... YET, AT THE

SAME TIME MORE URGENT?

DON'T MAKE THESE KIDS WAIT. THEY ARE
SURROUNDED BY MORE DRUGS AND VIOLENCE THAN
MOST OF US CAN IMAGINE. I WOULDN’T WANT TO
STEP IN THE RING WITH SOME OF THE FOES OUR
KIDS ARE CONFRONTED WITH TODAY. THEY NEED
THE EDUCATION,... GUIDANCE.... AND THE ROLE
MODELS TO GET A REAL RUNNING START. MY
SUCCESS IN LIFE WAS BUILT THROUGH DEDICATION,
BELIEF AND ACTION. | HOPE THIS COMMITTEE WILL
DO THE SAME BY FOLLOWING THROUGH WITH
FUNDS AND CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR DARE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

ad


45

several new pilot programs. These programs will test
various competing instructor/curriculum models in grades K-
12, under the umbrella of the D.A.R.E. program. As anyone
in the prevention field will tell you, this is indeed
landmark news.

I would like to submit, for the record, a letter from
Chairman of the D.A.R.E. Advisory Board, Dr. Herb Kleber.
This letter which is being sent to the Congressional
Appropriations Committees, reports on the success of the
Workshop, and outlines the plans for the new pilot
projects. In order to test and implement these new pilot
projects, DARE is seeking $5 million in funding, and I hope
that you would support this historic partnership.

Before I turn my time over for any questions that you
might have, I would quickly like to address one final issue
-- measuring the success of drug education programs. Let us
take a quick look at the nation’s number one drug problem,
tobacco. In recent years, youth tobacco use, rather than
decreasing as might be expected with recent publicity, has
increased. Increases in tobacco related deaths and
disability resulting from this surge in smoking are
expected by all experts. According to the University of
Michigan’s data in 1991 14.3% of 8°" graders smoked. 19.4%
of 8 graders smoked in 1997. For 12°* graders, the number
of smokers was 28.3% in 1991. In 1997 36.5% of high school
seniors were current cigarette smokers. According to the
cpc (4/3/98) smoking among African American students has
increased from 12.6% in 1991 to 22.7% in 1997. +. Smoking
by Hispanic students has had a similar increase; in 1991,
25.3% smoked compared to 34% in 1997. Smokeless tobacco use


27

DARE IS A NON-PROFIT PROGRAM THAT DEPENDS
HEAVILY UPON THE GENEROSITY OF PRIVATE
INDIVIDUALS, CELEBRITIES, STATE AND LOCAL
GOVERNMENT. I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO
SEE THE DARE OFFICERS IN ACTION. IT’S A GREAT
JOY. THEY NOT ONLY WORK WONDERS IN THE
CLASSROOM, BUT ON THEIR OWN TIME, AS WELL.
AND THE KIDS RESPOND. IT’S ONLY HUMAN TO
RESPOND TO SOMEONE WHO TEACHES YOU TO
BELIEVE IN YOURSELF, AND LET’S NOT FORGET
THAT ALL OF DARE’S OFFICERS ARE POLICE
OFFICERS. FOR EVERY RELATIONSHIP FORGED
NOW, THAT’S ONE LESS THAT MIGHT, ONE DAY, END
UP IN THE BACK SEAT OF A PATROL CAR.

DARE HAS BEEN HUGELY SUCCESSFUL AT THE
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LEVEL AND NEEDS TO
CONTINUE THAT SUCCESS AT THE MIDDLE AND HIGH

SCHOOL LEVEL.


Bryton McClure/Page 2

I think its important for adults to set a good example, too

My dad, who is a musician, and I wrote a song together, called "Don't Lie to Us," about
how parents' actions speak louder than words. Our song goes:

They say they love you
Then walk away
They say they need your love, but send you off to play

They say don't drink or do drugs
It's not OK
They say don't do what I do, just do what I say

Whether you know it or not, chances are there is a kid who looks up to you, and they're
watching what you do as much as they're listening to what you say. And being a role model is
probably the most important job you can have.

My parents, the Kmart Kids Race Against Drugs program and RADD Kids have given me
the opportunity to serve as a role model and to try to set a good example for kids all across
America

‘Now that I'm involved in anti-drug programs, it makes me feel responsible and committed
to staying drug free, so I can show other kids that we can reach our goals and make our dreams
come true -- but only if we stay drug free

I would like to thank everyone for having me here today. Thank you.


4

is by having younger people decide that they want to be drug-free,
they want to be healthy. That’s why I think having sports stars is
very, very important.

Sports stars are celebrities. They are community leaders. They
are people who are recognized by people all over the country. We
just had this experience the other night when the Bulls won the
NBA. [Applause.]

Because when you think about it, I don’t want to get in some
contest now, about who likes which team even if I was pulling for
Michael Jordan and Chicago personally. And he is from Illinois; so,
he obviously, is already biased.

Think about the number of people who watch. Think about the
level of intensity with which young people look up to those role
models. I think every citizen realizes that we have a problem be-
cause in the last 5 years, drug use has gone up. There are more
young people today using drugs than there were 5 years ago. One
of the reasons I think, is that we’ve grown tolerant of people who
use drugs and we've grown tolerant of setting a standard of which
drug use was not decisive as something that we reacted against.

I’ve co-signed the letter encouraging the professional sports
leagues to take seriously testing programs, and to take seriously
setting the right standard and setting the right tone. And let me
also say, for the news media that’s here, we recognize strongly that
an anti-drug program should also have as a component of it, an
anti-teen smoking program. And despite the collapse of the anti-
smoking bill in the Senate, we will have an anti-teen smoking bill
in the House, of which I think, we will pass and which will be tar-
geted trying to convince young people to lead healthier lives and
not to run the risks that are involved by smoking.

Similarly, young people should know when they turn on their tel-
evision, or they go to a sports stadium or an arena, that the star
they’re watching is somebody who is a good citizen and who is also
drug-free. I think it’s a fair slot because to be a sports celebrity in
America is a remarkably profitable business. We provide a variety
of ways in which people become national and world figures. They
make tremendous amounts of money. The leagues make a lot of
money. There are very well-paid executives because of television
contracts, because of tax-free municipal bonds that build stadiums
and build arenas, because of community commitment, and I think
it’s fair for the community to say back, if we’re going to create
these conditions, if we’re going to support the process by which you
become wealthy, then you have an obligation to be involved.

It was very disturbing when the New York Times reported re-
cently that, based on their reports, they believed as many as 60 to
70 percent of the NBA players may be using marijuana. Now, I
don’t know if that’s accurate, but I know that it’s something the
NBA should be very, very concerned about. And, I believe that
there should be testing.

I particularly praise the effort already underway in the NFL, for
example, where all players are tested annually; where they do have
sanctions if they are tested. We have suggested that they have one
additional condition and that is, if you do test positive, that you
have to name the dealer before you're allowed back on the field or


18

comes from government sources. D.A.R.E. is a non-profit program
that depends heavily upon the generosity of private individuals, ce-
lebrities, State and local government.

T’ve had the opportunity to see the D.A.R.E. officers in action,
and it’s a great joy. They not only work wonders in the classrooms,
but on their own time as well. And the kids do respond. It’s only
human to respond to someone who teaches you to believe in your-
self. And let’s not forgot that, all of D.A.R.E.’s officers are police of-
ficers. So, for every relationship forged now, that’s one fess that
might one day, end up in the rear seat of a patrol car.

.A.R.E. has been hugely successful at the elementary school
level and needs to continue that success at the middle and high
school levels. Let the growth continue. It is about the future. Could
it be any simpler? Yet, at the same time, more urgent?

Don’t make these kids wait. They are surrounded by more drugs
and violence than most of us could ever imagine. I wouldn’t want
to step into the ring with some of the opponents our kids are faced
with every single day. They need the education, guidance, and the
role models to get a real running start. My success in life was built
through dedication, belief and action. I hope this committee will do
the same by following through with funds and continued support
for D.A.R.E.

In closing, Mr. Chairman, let’s remember, our most valuable nat-
ural resources are our kids. Sir, our kids can’t wait.

Thank you so much. [Applause.]

{The prepared statement of Mr. Leonard follows:]


55

nated to local drug fighting programs. In a few minutes, Il] share
a videotape which illustrates the excitement and reach of this pro-

gram,

We knew from the beginning that it would only be successful if
we could get some of America’s most recognized celebrities to en-
dorse and personally participate in the program. Legendary actor
and race enthusiast, Paul Newman, who understands firsthand the
devastation that drugs can have on a family, as well as Jacklyn
Smith and Kathy Ireland, not only popular, talented, and attractive
actresses, but also caring moms, signed on as honorary co-chairs of
the K-Mart Family Foundation.

We then went about the business of mapping out our route to
key cities around the country, setting our goals for how many kids
we wanted to reach, and how many dollars we wanted to raise, and
literally recruiting a “Who’s Who” of celebrity endorsements. Since
we launched the K-Mart Family Foundation and revved the en-
gines for the first time at the K-Mart Kids’ Race Against Drugs,
we have touched close to 300,000 children with an anti-drug mes-
sage. We have contributed nearly $3 million to drug-fighting pro-
grams around the country, and see nothing but continued momen-
tum ahead. This year we've already traveled to 32 markets and
we'll reach a total of 70 markets by November, when we conclude
our season and prepare for nationals competition next January.

Let me just highlight some of the legends and leaders who un-
derstand what it means to get involved in the fight against drugs.
Of course, there’s Sugar Ray Leonard who has been with us at a
number of our events, but the “Who’s Who” also includes, Michael
Andretti, David Robinson, Scottie Pippen, Mary Lou Retton, Hank
Aaron and Sinbad to name just a few.

When we launched the K-Mart Kids’ Race Against Drugs we did
so based on the fundamental belief that business could no longer
ignore the devastating affect the drug abuse is having on our
youth, our families, and our Nation’s work force. When it comes to
reaching kids, it’s not enough to just tell them drugs are bad, we
must grab their attention with fun, family oriented events that in-
volve People they admire and respect.

We know that when you reach kids at an early age with positive
alternative, there’s a 90 percent greater chance they'll resist drugs
as teens. As a national participating company in America’s Prom-
ise, the initiative headed by General Colin Powell and reaching
into the communities that we serve nationwide, K-Mart has
pledged that we will spend, raise, and/or contribute at least $50
million by the year 2000 for grassroots drug fighting and preven-
tion programs. By doing so we will involve 2 million children and
their families in the K-Mart Kids’ Race Against Drugs. That is a
commitment that we reaffirm to you today. And while it is a great
story to tell, it is a better one to see. And so I'd like to take a few
minutes to show you the K-Mart Kids’ Race Against Drugs, to hear
from many of our dignitaries and celebrities, as well as our kids.

Could we roll the tape?

[Video shown.]

Mr. ELLIs. If you'd like to cut the tape, we can cut it off at this
point. I think you pretty much get the idea.


62

can reach our goals, and make our dreams come true, but only if
we stay drug-free.

I would like to thank everyone for having me here today. Thank
you.

[The prepared statement of Mr. McClure follows:]


35

Sgt. Sidney Kelly’s Statement Before the
House Subcommittee on
National Security, International Affairs & Criminal Justice
(Thursday, June 18, 1998 - 1 p.m.)

Chairman Hastert, Congressman Barrett, members of the
Subcommittee, it is an honor to have the opportunity to appear before you
today to represent the more than 30,000 D.A.R.E. officers nationwide. As
one of the longest serving D.A.R.E. officers in America, I have seen first
hand the positive impact that this program has had on our children. Over the
last ten years, I have administered the D.A.R.E. curriculum to literally
thousands of students in Chicago, and I have watched the program grow
throughout the Chicago area and across the Nation.

I began my career with the Chicago Police Department in 1968 at the
age of 22. I was assigned to undercover investigations, and among other
things, I spent the next twenty years, working to keep drugs off the street.
During those years, I saw on a daily basis the destructive effect that drug
abuse has on the individual user, as well as families and friends. It can
become a demoralizing job to try to stop the seemingly endless supply of
drugs that invade America’s streets.

After twenty years of watching drugs destroy communities, I jumped
at the opportunity to take part in a new program designed to bring police
officers into the schools to educate children about the dangers of drug abuse.
In 1987, I was one of four officers selected to administer Chicago’s Drug
Abuse Resistance Education or DARE program. I received my training
from the Ilinois State Police, and when Chicago began its D.A.R.E.


program in February, 1988 I was the first officer to begin teaching. Today, I
am the Commanding Officer of the Chicago Police Department’s School
Visitation Section, and it is my job to coordinate Chicago’s DARE program.
Ten years ago when I began, 3,800 students in 31 schools received the
DARE curriculum. Today, we are reaching over 155 schools, and this
month more than 12,000 students will graduate from the program. This
growth has been just as dramatic in the suburbs. As you may be aware Mr.
Chairman, in Aurora, IL there are now 26 DARE officers administering the
program to every 5" grade student, both public and private, as they pass
through the elementary school system. That represents approximately 2,500
students a year.

In addition, D.A.R.E. America is currently trying to get DARE into
every middle school in America and that is vitally needed in Chicago. Asa
former educator Mr. Chairman, I’m sure you can appreciate how important
repetition and reinforcement of English, math and social studies is as kids
progress through their school years. To be effective, drug education should
be no different. We need to have booster programs in 7", 8" and 9" grade
reinforcing the DARE lessons that our children learn in elementary school. 1
can’t tell you how difficult it is each year to work with the kids, develop
relationships, and then not be able to be there for them when they are facing
drugs for the first time.

For me, the success of DARE should be measured not only by the
number of schools or students that we reach, but also by the confidence and
drug prevention skills that each child receives. Just like the kids who are
graduating from the Chicago program, the students that we have with us


51

authority figures. We all have influence but the youth are most im-
pressionable. Athletes have an increased burden that accompanies
their giftedness. Because of their high, visibility they need to be
sensitive to the messages they sound. ether spoken or unspoken
our influence is powerful, and when the ravages of drug use and
abuse and alcoholism punctuates our families with disappointment
and abbreviates the lives of the youth, then there is only one way
to play and that is drug-free. Thank y
{The prepared statement of Mr. Fitzhugh follows:]


24

..- THE VOICE THAT TELLS A KID HOW DRUGS
DESTORY, THAT HE OR SHE CAN BECOME
WHATEVER THEY DESIRE. THAT BOUNDARIES
DON’T EXIST. IN FACT, FROM THE BEGINNING, THE
CREDO FOR MY YOUTH FOUNDATION HAS BEEN “BE
A LEADER, NOT A FOLLOWER. BELIEVE IN

YOURSELF. IF YOU DON’T, NO ONE ELSE WILL.

YOU KNOW, WE CAN SPEND ALL THE MONEY THE
GOVERNMENT HAS TO FIGHT THE BAD GUYS. BUT
YOU KNOW WHAT? IF WE CAN GET TO THE
POTENTIAL BUYERS BEFORE THE BAD GUYS GET
THERE, THEN THE BAD GUYS GO OUT OF BUSINESS.
SUPPLY AND DEMAND. WE WANT THE DEMAND TO
DISAPPEAR. THIS IS PRECISELY WHY DARE BEGINS
AT THE KINDERGARTEN LEVEL WHERE KIDS ARE
THE MOST IMPRESSIONABLE, AND CONTINUES

THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL.


54

Mr. SouDER. Thank you very much for your testimony.

Mr. Ellis.

Mr. ELLIS. Good afternoon.

Let me, first of all, say that I am truly honored to be speaking
before you today, and be part of such a distinguished panel. I am
not a great athlete, except in my own mind. I am not a celebrity
by any means. But, like you, everyday I wear many hats. As a divi-
sional vice president of the K-Mart Kids’ Race Against Drugs, and
a 25 year company veteran, I am an executive with an important
job to do, but, like many of you, I am also a husband, a golfer, an
uncle, and, most importantly, a parent. And while I worry about
achieving my quarterly results, remembering my anniversary, and
perhaps bettering my golf game, there is nothing that worries me
more than my three children—their safety, their security, and their
vulnerability. I also know that I am not alone in my concerns. Par-
ents throughout our Nation worry about their children. And one of
their biggest fears is drug addiction. And all of the troubles, and
destruction that can come when their kids choose to use drugs as
a way to be cool, to cope, or to test their curiosity.

In fact, a few years ago as K-Mart conducted extensive customer
research to help guide our strategic turnaround, we asked our
shoppers what they worry about, and their children were their big-
gest concern and drug abuse was their greatest fear. But I guess
that should surprise none of us.

The pervasiveness of drugs keeps growing stronger on our play.
grounds, at the neighborhood hangout, and in the hallways of our
schools. Adding to that, there are just far too many negative im-

es in entertainment, in athletics, and in our hometowns of people
¥ 0 kids should respect disappointing us by turning to a life of

rugs.

e are facing statistics which suggest that a younger age than
ever before children are actively experimenting and using drugs.
We know that today there are 15 million youths in the United
States who are at risk, who don’t have the safety nets, the caring
adults, essential to help them along the way. It is a national trag-
edy that 6 to 8 million kids under the age of 18 are now using ille-
gal drugs. Instead of popping fly balls or playing with dolls, they're
popping pills and smoking crack. It is horrifying that in 1998, 1 in
11 kids under 18 continue to experiment with drugs and use drugs.
Youth drug abuse is truly a national tragedy that none of us can
ignore. We must fight it in any and every way that we can.

In 1996, with the leadership of K—Mart’s chairman, president
and CEO, Floyd Hall, we launched an unprecedented national ef-
fort to fight drug abuse in our own unique way. We formed the K—
Mart Family Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization that exists solely
for the purpose of raising and contributing funds to grassroots,
drug-fighting organizations in the communities we serve nation-

wide.

In August 1996, we unveiled the K-Mart Kids’ Race Against
Drugs, a fun, family oriented event that encourages healthy com-
petition for children who are 7 to 12 years old. Kids race against
the clock on safety-modified lawn tractors, believe it or not, for a
chance to win scholarships. To meet heroes who know that winners
are drug-free and in doing so, for each child who races, $5 is do-


Bryton McClure/Page 1

Thank you Mr. Chairman and Mr. Ellis.

My name is Bryton McClure. For the past eight years I have played Richie on the
television show "Family Matters.”

I feel honored to be here today on behalf of Kmart Kids Race Against Drugs and RADD
Kids -- Recording Artists, Actors and Athletes Against Drunk Driving ~- to talk about the
influence role models have on kids.

Since I have been on television, I've been very fortunate to be in a position to try to help
others -- to be a leader. Everyone wants to be a leader, whether you're in a race car or choosing
sides for a team, because leaders are winners.

One of the reasons I think Kmart Kids Race Against Drugs works is because it teaches
kids that "Winners Don't Do Drugs." Kmart backs up this message by bringing young people
together with role models like athletes and entertainers who show by how they live their lives that
you don't need to do drugs to be cool. They shows kids what is possible if you make positive
choices.

My first and most important role models -- my parents -- are here with me today. They
are why I am involved in speaking out against drugs, alcohol and violence. I'm just following
their example

I talk to my parents about these problems, but not all kids are as lucky as I am. And they
may see actors and professional athletes, who they watch on TV, as role models.

That's why I think that while being on television doesn't make me a star -- it does make me
arole model.

What is a role model? A role is a part, and a model is an example. As role models, kids
who are on TV play the part of setting examples for other kids -- not just examples of success,
but examples of what it takes to be proud, to be happy, to be safe and to be winners in life.

I spend a lot of time talking to kids all over the country about saying no to alcohol... no to
drugs... and no to gangs and violence, to help other children understand the importance of making
smart, safe choices.




43

Scientific progress does not necessarily mean less
use, less abuse, and less addiction. Medical research has
improved the science and practice of addiction treatment,
but at the same time more young people are smoking
cigarettes, marijuana and using other drugs. It is for that
reason that I am such an outspoken proponent of drug
education and prevention. I am currently serving on the
DARE America Scientific Advisory Board; and it is in that
capacity that I appear before you today. Although my
background might be different than my fellow witnesses, my
message is the same - we must focus on educating our
children for prevention of drug abuse. Science has simply
proven what common sense should have already taught us -
preventing kids from ever using drugs is the most effective

form of drug control this nation can hope to adopt.

Four years ago, DARE America established the
Scientific Advisory Board to advise it on scientific issues
relating to the contents and delivery of the DARE program.
The advisory board is made up of leading drug prevention
researchers and practitioners such as: Dr. Herb Kleber
Executive Vice President of the Center on Addiction &
Substance Abuse at Columbia University; Dr. Robert Millman,
Chairman of the Department of Public Health at the Cornell
University School of Medicine; and Dr. Kathleen Wulf,
Professor at University of Southern California. Throughout
the last four years, the Board has recommended a number of
improvements designed to help the DARE program evolve along

with the latest prevention and research findings.


41

smokeless tobacco compared to a current rate of 4.4 percent. Fi-
nally, 6 million or 28.7 percent of U.S. high school students smoked
at least one cigar last year.

Smoking has increased despite tobacco prevention efforts which,
like D.A.R.E.’s drug prevention efforts have been vigorous. Also, no
one could at this point fail to recognize the dangers associated with
smoking and environmental tobacco or second-hand smoke. Yet,
smoking has increased. Why? To answer that question, I would ask
the committee to look at the worldwide web where there are a
number of sites listing how many celebrity role models have been
smoking in recent movies.

Remember last year’s blockbuster movie, the Titanic. The most
faithful fans of the Titanic were adolescent girls who flocked to the
theater time and time again to see the newest teen idol, Leonardo
Di Caprio. What they saw was a young man repeatedly smoking as
an integral, seemingly integral part of his persona. Role models, ce-
lebrity endorsements in the movies and media, and peer factors
play an important part in shaping our children’s decision.

For all that D.A.R.E. can do, the responsibility for reducing
youth smoking and drug use must be shared by teachers, parents,
churches, community leaders, the media, and so forth. Sugar Ray
Leonard, as well as Sergeant Kelly, have set an extremely positive
example by being here today, and I hope that young people recog-
nize the courage and determination that they represent.

The D.A.R.E. program is one of the most powerful resources that
we can give our children, and I hope you will support the program’s
expansion and revision in the coming months.

Thank you again, for allowing me the time to speak, and I’d be
happy to answer any questions.

[The prepared statement of Mr. Gold follows:]


66

against the backdrop of what I believe to be true, was not my re-
ality. My reality now is a healthy lifestyle, a drug-free lifestyle, and
a lot of potential, and a lot of excitement and zeal, and I try to pass
that on to the students.

Mr. Barr. So at least in your experience, and your personal situ-
ation, religion did play an important role?

Mr. FitzHuGu. It played an important role and I say that, and
I also say that it’s not-so much religion as you think of it. I was
confronted with that particular question by a young man just a few
days ago who was struggling with trying to get a hold of religion
in his life. He believed that it was something that he needed to do.
He was also a convicted murderer. My response to him is that it
is not so much religion as it is relationship, as it is hanging out
with this and getting to know this guy that they call Jesus, and
getting to know who God is, and getting to know about who you
are, and building a relationship, and trying to have that base and
foundation on truth and love. So many young people that I deal
with have to do re-education before I do education when it comes
to religion, because something that is supposed to be one of the
most liberating experiences and forces in our lives, the church often
becomes one of the most conforming influences in our lives.

Mr. Barr. If it’s conforming for the right reasons that’s—excuse

e.

We will stand in recess until we vote. I’ve got to get over, I’m
going to get in trouble for not voting. So we will be in recess for
a few moments until Mr. Souder and I can come back.

[Recess.]

Mr. SoupDER [presiding]. The committee is back in session.

When I was a staffer, Carolyn Walsh up in Newark, she said one
of her frustrations in working with kids and in kids pro; was
is that she would work with them all day then they would go home
and watch television, or go to the mall, or something impact. And
she said we need a drumbeat throughout the entire society. And as
I said just before I left, I would like to get your comment on how
you feel about something like this poster from the Body Shop, for
example in Pentagon City Mall. It is right at the top of the esca-
lator. There are airports where its in Washington/National, it’s in
Fort Wayne, IN, where I represent. It is one of the largest retail
chains right now in the country oriented toward young people, to-
ward trendiness, supposed to be real hip much like the Adidas shoe
or Tower Records. You all have spent a lot of your life trying to
fight this stuff. What is your reaction to retailers who try to make
money off this?

Mr. FitzHuGH. Well, I’d like to just make a couple of comments.
One of our challenges is persuasive kind of mood that sweeps
across our country among our young people is that of rebellion. And
I deal with a number of young people who will have that shirt on
without the words—you see. And that shirt simply says that ’m
going to do what I’m going to do. So when you have our corporate
community that begin to take images like this, I feel no matter how
you slice it comes up bad news when you deal with drugs. Whether
you’re just standing on the corner watching out for a buy or
whether you’re just help processing, or no matter how you slice it
when you participate in that community it comes up bad news. If


ll

For the war on drugs to be successful, however, we have no
choice but to enlist additional soldiers for the fight because parents
cannot be with their children every step. Our children need to have
additional role models to turn to, and that’s what were discussing
today. This is where I feel an athlete can play a major role.

Athletes today are some of the most prominent, influential role
models for America’s youth. Their God-given athletic abilities ex-
tend far beyond the sporting arena into the daily lives of America’s
young people. Because athletes draw so much public attention to
the way they prepare their bodies for high-level performance, they
publicly must maintain, I believe, a zero tolerance for drugs.

That is why I’m pleased to be a sponsor and be here today as
an original co-sponsor of the Drug-Free Professional and Olympic
Athlete Responsibility Resolution. This resolution will call for pro-
fessional sports organizations, some of which has been discussed
and the International Ob pic Committee—the OIC—to denounce,
in no uncertain terms, all illegal use of drugs. Going one step fur-
ther, it will ensure proper penalties will be issued to drug-abusing
athletes. The athletes who abuse drugs would be placed in a drug
treatment program to help them break that cycle oF dependency.

Unfortunately, we are seeing more and more professional ath-
letes use drugs, we have seen and heard some accounts of that al-
ready. Time and time again, we pick up the newspaper or turn to
ESPN and discover that yet another professional athlete, a role
model if you will, has been arrested for possessing drugs.

To make matters worse, professional sports organizations treat
this epidemic with kid gloves. For example, although banned under
criminal laws, marijuana is not included in the NBA policy that my
colleague just mentioned. It is not an illegal substance. Even dur-
ing the winter olympics, the use of marijuana is simply winked at.
It really wasn’t dealt with sufficiently. We need to have strong pen-
alties and a strong hand to show that we are opposed to this use.

We must seize the opportunity to steer our children away from
the dangers of drugs and this resolution is good step in that direc-
tion. The need for this country’s young people to have role models
in the war on drugs has now become even greater. Since 1991, the
number of 8th graders using marijuana has increased by over 200
percent and half of all high schoolers have used or are using illegal

rugs.

It bears worth repeating, once again, as responsible members of
society, it is our duty to recognize the importance of role models in
the lives of today’s youth, especially considering how they’re
bombarded with a lot of social pressures that accompany those
drug uses.

It is through exposure to competent, courageous, and moral indi-
viduals that children will develop the skills needed to promote
their healthy non-dependency upon drugs. I challenge everyone
here in this room to reach out to our country’s youth and to take
advantage of giving them the ability to make a difference in the life
of America’s children.

Children need to see in their role models, the lesson we as par-
ents and athletes and educators try to teach them daily—all ac-
tions have consequences. Until professional sports leagues and the
International Olympic Committee have a zero tolerance for drugs,


53

distastefulness of cigarette smoking and drugs. It’s real enough to motivate students to
think differently about alcohol and other drug use and abuse.

T understand that the greatest influence in the lives of young people is peer influence.

‘My solution is to applaud the courageous, who take a stand against alcohol and other
drug abuse, while allowing those who simply go with the flow, an opportunity to see the
insanity of their rebellion. This is done through a variety of interactive paradigms and
role-plays.

Tunderstand that students need to commit to being drug free regardless of what the crowd
is saying or doing.

My solution is to present to them the “Ome Way 2 Play Drug Free Challenge”. Over
70,000 students throughout the country have signed the pledge by the Fellowship of
Christian Athletes (FCA) to be drug free. Studies suggests that students who make a
commitment now to be drug free and signs and dates their commitment are 61% more
likely to keep their commitment. The OW2P program not only affords the opportunity to
make the commitment but it encourages accountably also. Each student who takes the
pledge is encouraged to identify a best friend who will commit as well. At least once a
week they meet to hold one another accountable to the pledge to be drug free.

Tn Conclusion

We all have influence, but the youth are the most impressionable. Athletes have an
increased burden that accompanies their giftedness. Because of their high visibility they
need to be sensitive to the messages they sound. Whether spoken or unspoken our
influence is powerful. When the ravages of drug use and abuse and alcoholism
punctuates our families with disappointment and abbreviates the lives of the youth, then
there is only one way to play...drug free!


Bill Ellis/Page 3

We then went about the business of mapping out our route to key cities around the
country...setting our goals for how many kids we wanted to reach and how many
dollars we wanted to raise._.and literally, recruiting a "Who's Who" of celebrity
endorsements.

Since we launched The Kmart Family Foundation and revved the engines for the
first time at the Kmart Kids Race Against Dnugs...we have touched close to 300,000
children with an anti-drug message...we have contributed nearly $3 million to drug
fighting programs around the country...and see nothing but momentum ahead.

This year, we've already traveled to 32 markets...and we'll reach a total of 70
markets by November when we conclude our season and prepare for our nationals
competition next January.

Let me just highlight some of the legends and leaders who understand what it means
to get involved in the fight against drugs.

Of course, there's Sugar Ray Leonard who has been with us at a number of our
events...but the "Who'sWho" also includes...Paul Newman, Jaclyn Smith, David
Robinson, Michael Andretti, Mary Lou Retton and Sinbad.

When we launched The Kmart Kids Race Against Drugs..we did so based on the
fundamental belief that business can no longer ignore the devastating effect that
drug abuse is having on our youth...our families...and our nation's workforce.

When it comes to reaching kids...it's not enough to just tell them drugs are bad...we
must grab their attention with fun, family-oriented events that involve people they
admire and respect.

We know that when you reach kids at an early age with positive altematives, there's
a 90 percent greater chance they'll resist drugs as teens.

As a national participating company in “America's PromiseTM...the initiative headed
by General Colin Powell and reaching into the communities we serve

nationwide...Kmart has pledged that we will spend, raise and/or contribute at least
$50 million by the year 2000 for grassroots drug fighting and prevention programs.


~eegemusseTM —Congeess of the Gnited States

13

Pouse of Representatives Toma ts er
‘Bashington, WE 20515-1602 ‘eget ute

‘Statement by Rep. Jim Ryun (KS-2)
House Government Reform and Oversight Subcommittee on National
Security, International Affairs, and Criminal Justice
Thursday, June 18, 1998, 2154 Rayburn 1:00 p.m.

Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee:

‘Thank you for this opportunity to discuss how to teach children to resist the lure of drugs.

Asa father of four and a three-time Olympian, 1 know all too well the responsibilities that are
associated with being a role model.

Responsil

Before I tun my attention to the Drug-Free Professional and Olympic Athlete
ity Resolution, I want to state at the onset that athletes do not and should not have a

monopoly on communicating to this nation’s young people the dangers of drugs and alternatives
to experimenting with drugs.

As parents, we bear the burden for setting the rules for our children to follow. When it

‘comes to drug use, parents must put the well being of their child first. With this in mind, there’s
no excuse for parents not to lay down strict rules against drug use.

Also, three simple guidelines will help parents enforce their rules:

First, be specific. Explain the reasons for the rules.

'* Second, be consistent. Make it clear to your child that a no-drug-use rule remains the
same at all times.

+ Finally, be reasonable. Don't add new consequences that have not been discussed

before the rule was broken.

As parents know all too well, this is only a part of our job. We must invest the necessary

time with our children to demonstrate to them our moral opposition to drug use. Also, we must
bbe prepared to enforce penalties when a child breaks the rules.

For the “War on Drugs” to be successful, however, we have no choice but to enlist

additional soldiers for the fight. Because parents cannot be with their children at every step, our
children need to have additional role models to turn to. This is where | feel athletes come into

Athletes today are some of the most prominent and influential role models for America’s

youth, Their God-given athletic abilities extend far beyond the sporting arena and into the daily
lives of America’s young people. Because athletes draw so much public attention to the way
they prepare their bodies for high-level performance, they publicly must mention a zero tolerance
for drugs.


CONTENTS

Hearing held on June 18, 1998 .
Statement of:

Gingrich, Hon. Newt, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and a

Representative in in Congress from the State of Georgia

Leonard, Sugar world-renowned boxing champion; Sergeant Sid
DARE. cheer from Chicago; Dr. Mark Gold, neuroscience and
pachiatry department, University of Florida; Steve Fitzhugh, formerly
With the Denver Broncos; Bill Ellis, division vice Bresident, K”Mart’s
cClure, television

Kids’ Race Against Drugs Program; and Bryton
program “Family Matters’
Watts, Hon. J.C., a Represent
homa; and Hon. Jim Ryun, a Representative in Congress from the
State of Kansas .
Letters, statements, etc.,
Ellis, Bill, division vice president, K-Mart’s
‘ogram, prepared statement of
Fitzhugh, Steve, formerly with the Denver Broncos, prepar

ids’ Race Against Drugs

statement

Gol Br Mark neurdsdence and psychiatry department, University of
Florida, prepared statement of ..
Kelly, Sergeant Sid, D.AR.E. officer from Chicago, prepared statement

Leonard’ Sugar Ray, world-renowned boxing champion, prepared state-
ment of

McClure, Bryton, television program “Family Matters”, prepared state-
ment of

Ryun, Hon, dim, a Representative in Congress from the State of Kansas,
prepared statement of ..

Watts, Hon. J.C, a Representative in Congress from the State of Okia:
homa, prepared statement of ..

aD,



34

D.A.R.E. officers are role models and it is a responsibility that
we take very seriously. I can tell you that this is more than just
a job for me, or at least, more than just a job for us. Two years
ago, I was contacted by D.A.R.E. America to help develop a project
for the D.A.R.E. Plus program. D.A.R.E. Plus is an after school pro-
gram that sends police officers to public housing developments to
talk with kids. This was an especially important opportunity for me
because I grew up in public housing, and I know the challenges
that kids in public housing face everyday.

Finally, Mr. Chairman, I know you are concerned about the vio-
Jence that is occurring in our schools. All D.A.R.E. officers are
sworn, armed, police personnel trained as police officers. We are in
the schools primarily to teach drug education, but we recognize our
responsibility to protect students and teachers and those on those
properties as the need arises.

ank you once again for giving me the opportunity to testify
today. I will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

[The prepared statement of Sergeant Kelly follows:]


22

I WAS BLESSED WITH A FEW THINGS MANY OF THESE
KIDS ARE LACKING TODAY. I HAD CLOSE KNIT
SUPPORT. I HAD A MOTHER, A FATHER, BROTHERS
AND SISTERS. BUT, [ LACKED CONFIDENCE. I FELT
INFERIOR, LIKE A LOT OF KIDS DO. I GUESS YOU
COULD SAY I WAS AFRAID. I WAS TOO SHORT FOR
BASKETBALL, TOO SMALL FOR FOOTBALL -- NOT
COMFORTABLE WITH TEAM SPORTS IN GENERAL. IT
SEEMED EASIER TO GO IT ALONE AND BOXING
CERTAINLY FILLED THAT NEED. THOUGH I MUST
SAY, THE FIRST TIME I COMPETED WITH GLOVES -
THEY WERE REALLY BIG GLOVES - [ GOT HIT HARD.
1 CRIED AND QUIT THE VERY NEXT DAY. SO,
TECHNICALLY SPEAKING, THAT WAS THE FIRST
TIME 1 EVER RETIRED FROM THE RING. 1 CAME
BACK LATER AND... WELL, RETIRED A FEW MORE
TIMES. AND THERE MAY BE MORE TO COME.
BUT, I KNEW THAT BOXING WAS THE

RIGHT OUTLET FOR ME.


COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT REFORM AND OVERSIGHT
DAN BURTON, Indiana, Chairman

BENJAMIN A. GILMAN, New York HENRY A. WAXMAN, California
J. DENNIS HASTERT, Illinois TOM LANTOS, California
CONSTANCE A. MORELLA, Maryland ROBERT E. WISE, JRr., West Virginia
CHRISTOPHER SHAYS, Connecticut MAJOR R. OWENS, New York
CHRISTOPHER COX, California EDOLPHUS TOWNS, New York
ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN, Florida PAUL E. KANJORSKI, Pennsylvania
JOHN M. McHUGH, New York GARY A. CONDIT, California
STEPHEN HORN, California CAROLYN B. MALONEY, New York
JOHN L. MICA, Florida THOMAS M. BARRETT, Wisconsin
THOMAS M. DAVIS, Virginia ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON, Washington,
DAVID M. McINTOSH, Indiana DC
MARK E. SOUDER, Indiana CHAKA FATTAH, Pennsylvania
JOE SCARBOROUGH, Florida ELIJAH E. CUMMINGS, Maryland
JOHN B. SHADEGG, Arizona DENNIS J. KUCINICH, Ohio
STEVEN C. LaTOURETTE, Ohio ROD R. BLAGOJEVICH, Mlinois
MARSHALL “MARK” SANFORD, South DANNY K. DAVIS, Ilinois

Carolina JOHN F. TIERNEY, Massachusetts
JOHN E. SUNUNU, New Hampshire JIM TURNER, Texas
PETE SESSIONS, Texas THOMAS H. ALLEN, Maine
MICHAEL PAPPAS, New Jersey HAROLD E. FORD, Jr., Tennessee
VINCE SNOWBARGER, Kansas —-
BOB BARR, Georgia BERNARD SANDERS, Vermont
DAN MILLER, Florida (Independent)

RON LEWIS, Kentucky
Kevin BINGER, Staff Director
DANIEL R. MOLL, Deputy Staff Director
Davin A. Kass, Deputy Counsel and Parliamentarian
JupitH McCoy, Chief Clerk
Put. SCHILIRO, Minority Staff Director

SUBCOMMITTEE ON NATIONAL SECURITY, INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, AND CRIMINAL

JUSTICE
J, DENNIS HASTERT, Chairman
MARK E. SOUDER, Indiana THOMAS M. BARRETT, Wisconsin
CHRISTOPHER SHAYS, Connecticut TOM LANTOS, California
ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN, Florida ROBERT E. WISE, Jr., West Virginia
JOHN M. McHUGH, New York GARY A. CONDIT, California
JOHN L. MICA, Florida ROD R. BLAGOJEVICH, Illinois
JOHN B. SHADEGG, Arizona JIM TURNER, Texas
STEVEN C. LATOURETTE, Ohio ELIJAH E, CUMMINGS, Maryland
BOB BARR, Georgia JOHN F. TIERNEY, Massachusetts
EX OFFicio
DAN BURTON, Indiana HENRY A. WAXMAN, California

ROBERT CHARLES, Staff Director and Chief Counsel
‘MARGARET HEMENWAY, Professional Staff Member
Amy Davenport, Clerk
MICHAEL YEAGER, Minority Counsel

ab


46

is also on the rise‘*. In 1995 3.6% of high school seniors
used smokeless tobacco compared to a current rate of 4.4%.
Finally, six million or 28.7% of US high school students

smoked at least one cigar last year

Smoking is the most common addiction and the most
common addiction treatment failure. Of those smokers who
successfully quit, less than 25% quit on their first
attempt. Most individuals who smoke have 3-4 failures
before they stop smoking for good. In the United States,
about 45% of those who have ever smoked eventually stop
smoking. Although over 80% of individuals who smoke express
a desire to stop smoking and 35% try to stop each year,
less than S% are successful in unaided attempts to quit.

Prevention is the treatment of choice.

smoking has increased despite tobacco prevention
efforts which, like DARE’s drug prevention efforts have
been vigorous. Also, no one could at this point fail to
recognize the dangers associated with smoking and
environmental tobacco or “second hand” smoke. Yet smoking
has increased. Why? To answer that question, I would ask
the Subcommittee to look on the www” to see just how many
celebrity role models have been smoking in recent movies.
Remember last year’s blockbuster movie Titanic? The most
faithful fans of Titanic were adolescent girls who flocked
to the theater time and time again to see the newest teen
idel, Leonardo Di Caprio. What these impressionable
viewers saw was a young man repeatedly smoking as a
seemingly integral part of his persona. Role models,
celebrity endorsements in the movies and media, and peer

factors play an important part in shaping our children’s


30

for us some of the companies that are particularly active and put
their money where it needs to be, and that is in programs like this.

Mr. LEONARD. If my memory serves me correctly, the companies
that I know are involved is K-Mart, Calcan, M&M, Mars, Warner
Bros. Studios, Herbalife, and Uncle Ben’s Rice. I’ve held two fund-
raisers in the past year or so and we raised a significant amount
of money to go toward D.A.R.E.

Mr. Barr. I served as a U.S. Attorney back in the late 1980's,
and it was after a long period of seeing in the 1970's, particularly
in the 1980’s, a significant increase in the use of mind-altering
drugs, particularly by our young people. And it wasn’t until about
the mid-1980’s where we started to really see a noticeable and de-
monstrable decline in the drug usage by our young people. I think,
in large part, that could be attributed to the fact that people really
started talking about it through the D.A.R.E. program, through the
Just Say No program. President Reagan and his wife, Nancy
Reagan were out there, as was George Bush, and Bill Bennett, the
first so-called drug czar that we had.

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that, as we have removed over the
last several years, the drug issue as a front-runner issue in which
our elected leaders, particularly, at the national level speak about
on a regular basis that we’ve seen those numbers start to creep
back up. Do you agree that it is important for our leaders—and I
don’t speak just about our political leaders, but leaders in the
sports area and law enforcement areas we have here today, the
Christian Athlete Movement, particularly—I think faith-based pro-
grams are particularly significant, even though some up here on
the Hill denigrate them because they are faith based, I think, they
are among the most important things that we can do—but do you
agree that it is important that if we’re going to see those numbers
start to turn back down, that it has to be based on putting the drug
issue back out on the front burner, not shuttling it off to the side
or whatnot? Do you think that’s important to be out there visibly
as a front-runner issue on the part of our leaders in all sectors?

Mr. LEonarD. I think it’s very, very important. The theory is it
can’t be a one-shot-deal, because these kids are fighting a losing
battle at times. And I think we have to come together collectively,
if we tend to eradicate this epidemic. At times, it appears that
things are getting worse, but for the most part, statistically, it’s
getting a lot better in a sense. But, I think that each and every one
of us has a responsibility to make life better for these young people.

Mr. Barr. Finally, would you indicate to us—I’m sure you agree
with this, but I think the kids and the listening audience would
like to hear this also: Marijuana is bad. We hear a lot up here from
some folks, we have organizations out there that say that mari-
juana is great, that it doesn’t hurt you, that it’s OK. I know you
don’t agree with that. We, up here certainly don’t. If you could give
our kids a message about marijuana, what would it be?

Mr. LEONARD. Well, marijuana to these beautiful, innocent
faces—it’s a drug and it’s really bad for you. And what happens,
it makes you go to worse drugs. So, the Peautiful thing that you
guys can do is stay drug-free and out of gang activity.

ir. BARR. Thank you very much, Mr. feonard.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.


39

Mr. HASTERT. Thank you very much. I think we’re going to go
through the whole panel, and then we'll ask questions afterwards.

Mr. Gold, thank you for being with us today. Certainly, proceed
with the summary of your written testimony.

Mr. GoLp. Thank you, Chairman Hastert, Congressman Barrett,
members of the subcommittee, it is a privilege to have the oppor-
tunity to appear at this hearing to testify on the need for youth
drug prevention programs.

As a professor in the college of medicine and researcher in neuro-
science relating to drug use and abuse, dependence, this is a topic
which I am exceedingly familiar. For over 25 years, my work has
been devoted to studying the effect that tobacco, alcohol and other
drugs have on the human brain and behavior. This research has
led to new theories and treatments for addiction. However, the in-
evitable conclusion is that no treatment is as safe, effective or cost-
efficient as prevention.

Today, we know more about the effects of drugs on the brain,
than is known about almost any other medical or neurological dis-
ease. We have made tremendous progress in neurobiological re-
search over the last 20 years. Brain receptors and related chemi-
cals have been identified that are critical for the high produced by
every drug of abuse. Receptors or cellular sites of action for mari-
juana, cocaine, tobacco, and opiates like heroin have been identi-
fied. The brain systems involved in drug euphoria and withdrawal
have been discovered. This particular knowledge has helped us to
better understand addiction, and offers hope for improved methods
of treatment. Nevertheless, drug use and dependence continues to
afflict our children at epidemic levels.

Scientific progress does not necessarily mean less use, less abuse,
and less addiction. Medical research has improved the science and
practice of addiction treatment, but at the same time more young
people are smoking cigarettes, marijuana and using other drugs. It
is for that reason that I am such an outspoken proponent of dru;
education and prevention. I am currently serving on the D.A.R.E.
America Scientific Advisory Board; and it is in that capacity that
I appear before you today. Although my background might be dif-
ferent than my fellow witnesses, my message is the same—we
must focus on educating our children for prevention of drug use.
Science simply proves what common sense should have already
taught us—preventing kids from ever using drugs is the most effec-
tive form of drug control this Nation can hope to adopt.

Four years ago, D.A.R.E. America established the scientific advi-
sory board to advise it on scientific issues relating to the contents
and the delivery of the D.A.R.E. program. The scientific advisory
board is made up of leading drug prevention researchers and prac-
titioners such as: Dr. Herbert Kleber, executive vice president of
the Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia Univer-
sity; Dr. Robert Millman, the chairman of the De, ent of Public
Health at Cornell University; and Dr. Kathleen Wulf, professor at
University of Southern California to name a few.

Throughout the last 4 years, the board has recommended a num-
ber of improvements designed to help the D.A.R.E. program evolve
along with the latest prevention and research findings.


25

T WATCHED FRIENDS OF MINE SUCCUMB TO DRUGS
OVER THE YEARS. WE ALL KNOW SOMEONE WHO
HAS FALLEN VICTIM. THROUGH THE 60’S AND 70’S
DRUG AND ALCOHOL USE AMONG OUR NATION’S
YOUTH INCREASED STEADILY.

NOT UNTIL THE MID-EIGHTIES WAS THERE AN
ACTUAL DECLINE IN USAGE AMONG HIGH SCHOOL
SENIORS. COINCIDENTALLY, THAT WAS THE SAME
TIME THE DARE PROGRAM WAS CREATED. THE
PROGRAM AND ITS MESSAGE SPREAD RAPIDLY AT
THE LOCAL LEVEL, TO SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT THE
COUNTRY, WHERE DRUG AND ALCOHOL USAGE
AMONG KIDS CONTINUES ON THE DECLINE TO THIS

DAY.


Congressman J.C. Watts, Jr. of Oklahoma
Statement Against Drug Abuse in Professional Sports
Sune 17, 1998

Page Two

Sports leagues must hold athletes accountable for their lack of judgement. While the ultimate
responsibilty for teaching children right from wrong lies with parents, there is no question that
celebrities influence children just as much as parents do. Therefore, athletes have a responsibility
to set a good example for children. That example includes avoiding the use of illegal drugs.

Sports leagues should back up their rhetoric with action, and send a clear message to children that
drug use is wrong. They will get that message loud and clear when they see, for example, that an
all-star basketball player with a $70 million contract has been suspended for a year without pay
‘because he used illegal drugs. When children see that type of example being set, they will
understand that using drugs is a serious mistake to be avoided. Children will also understand the
importance of making good decisions and exercising self-control

‘We must also recognize, Mr. Chairman, that while sports leagues can make rules, players have to
abide by them and agree to them in their collective bargaining agreements. Thope that
professional athletes are willing to work with sports leagues to craft rules which are very tough
and punitive to those athletes who set a bad example for our children, but are fair and judicious.
If both players and sports owners approach this process in good faith, good rules can be
established and society can benefit from this cooperation.

‘We have a good chance at significantly reducing the use of illegal drugs in America if sports
leagues and athletes will stand up and be counted, and send a strong message to our children that
only fools use drugs. The best way to send that message is to lead by example.


61

Mr. McCuuvre. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and Mr. Ellis.

My name is Bryton McClure, and for the past 8 years I've played
Richie on the television show “Family Matters.” I feel honored to
be here today on behalf of K-Mart Kids’ Race Against Drugs and
RADD Kids, Recording Artists, Actors, and Athletes Against Drunk
Driving, to talk about the influence role models have on kids.

Since I have been on television, I have been very fortunate to be
in a position to try to help others to be leaders. Everyone wants
to be a leader whether they’re in a race car or choosing sides for
a team because everyone knows that leaders are winners.

One of the reasons I think the K-Mart Kids’ Race Against Drugs
works is because it teaches kids that winners don’t do drugs. K—
Mart backs up this message by bringing young people together
with role models like athletes and entertainers who show by how
they live their lives that you don’t have to do drugs to be cool. They
show kids what is possible when you make positive choices.

My first and most important role models, my parents, are here
with me today. They are why I am involved in speaking out against
drugs, alcohol, and violence. I’m just following their example. I talk
to my parents about these problems, but not all kids are as lucky
as I am, and they may see actors and professional athletes who
they watch on TV as their role models. And that’s why I think that
while being on television doesn’t make me a star; it does make me
a role model.

Now what is a role model? Well a role is a part, and a model is
an example. As role models, we play the part of setting examples
for other kids. Not just examples of success, but examples of what
it! takes to be proud, to be happy, to be safe, and to be winners in

fe.

I spend a lot of time talking to kids all over the country about
saying no to drugs, alcohol, and violence to help children under-
stand the importance of making smart and safe choices. I think it’s
important for adults to set good examples too.

My dad, who is a musician, and I wrote a song together. It’s
called, “Don’t Lie to Us.” It’s about how parents’ actions speak
louder than words. Our song goes:

“They say they say love you;

Then walk away;

They say they need your love, but send you off to play;

They say don’t drink or do drugs;

It’s not OK;

They say don’t do what I do, just do what I say.”

That’s just a small part of it. [Laughter.]

Whether you know it or not, chances are there is a kid who looks
up to you and they are watching what you do just as much as they
are listening to what you say. Being a role model is probably the
most important job you can have.

My parents, the K-Mart Kids’ Race Against Drugs program, and
RADD Kids have given me the opportunity as a role model, and try
to set good examples for kids all across America. Now that I’m in-
volved in anti-drug programs it makes me feel responsible and
committed to staying drug-free, so I can show other kids that we


aT

decisions. For all that DARE can do, the responsibility for
reducing youth smoking and drug use must be shared by
teachers, parents, churches, community leaders and the
media. Sugar Ray Leonard, as well as Sergeant Kelly, have
set an extremely positive example by being here today, and
I hope the young people recognize the courage and
determination that they represent.

The D.A.R.E. program is one of the most powerful
resources that we can give our children, and I hope you
will support the program’s expansion and revision in the
coming months. Thank you for allowing me the time to
speak, and I would be happy to answer any questions that

you might have.

Mark S. Gold, M.D.

Professor, University of Florida Brain Institute
Departments of Psychiatry, Neuroscience,
Community Health and Family Medicine

* Johnston, Lloyd Monitoring the Future Study. University of Michigan, NIDA, 1998,
** Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, CDC, Vol 46: no 20 pp 433-440, 1997

TM Marijuana use by 8" graders 22.6%, 10" 42.3% and 49.6%in 12 graders.

"For example, nttp://kohary.simplenet .com/smokemv.htm and
http://www. tobacco.org/Misc/losses.html


49

and friends from doing the wrong thing. We do that through
NASTY which is, ironically, when I walked in, I had several stu-
dents from the D.A.R.E. program Pom a finger at me, and they
said “NASTY,” because they heard me perform the song in their
school. And once you hear the song and once you’re part of the pro-
gram, it’s hard for you to respond to cigarettes and alcohol in any
different way other than saying, “NASTY.”

I understand that the greatest influence in the lives of young
people is peer influence and oftentimes we see this as we travel
around the country at some of our camps and some of our programs
and allow students to stand in front of the audience, give them a
comment, a generic comment, and see whether or not they agree
or disagree. The struggle that they experience because all of their
peers are watching. Should I go to the left and say, disagree, or to
the right and agree? It’s revealing as to how powerful the influence
of what their friends think and what their friends say about what
they do and say.

So, our solution is to applaud the courageous who take a stand
against alcohol and other drug abuse, while allowing those who
simply go-with-the-flow, an opportunity to see the insanity of their
rebellion. This is done through a variety of interactive paradigms
and role-plays.

Just this past week, I spent Monday through Friday in North
Carolina with 100 juvenile felons. I had an entire week to chal-
lenge them to change their ways. I found that camping experience,
getting them away from their world and getting them on my turf
and having an opportunity to put different kinds of ideas about po-
tential and possibilities in their lives was a vital component to me
impacting their lives. Although it’s only been a week, I’ve received
a number of letters from students who have said that that experi-
ence is very positive in their lives, although they are still detained
in their correctional facilities.

And so it is with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, for over
40 years now, we’ve been providing camps in the summer for stu-
dents to get away from their worlds, to get an opportunity to get
a look at a different existence and different possibilities. Our camps
have grown from just 1, over 40 years ago, to over 33 today, and
15,000 students from around the country who spend a week of
what I call, “inspiration-perspiration,” and get an opportunity to
look at other possibilities in their world and in their lives.

And the most exciting aspect for many of them is to be at a
camp, to be away from their environment, their community, is to
be in a safe place where there are a number of other people who
simply want to do the right thing. I’ve discovered there are a num-
ber of young people who don’t want to go down the drain. They
don’t want to be labeled as the drug dealer, as the user, as the
abuser. There are a number of young people who are doing the
right thing. And our camps are an opportunity to bring students
together in a safe environment and applaud them for saying “no”
to drugs and being drug-free.

Third, I understand the students need to commit to being drug-
free regardless to what the crowd is saying or doing. And I'd like
to point to a program that we developed over the past couple of


12

we as a Nation cannot expect to win the war on drugs. We must.
grasp every opportunity we have to steer children away from the
dangers of drugs and take a productive, reasonable, and respon-
sible life.

Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity, and when we come
back afterwards, I’d be happy to respond to any questions.

[The prepared statement of Hon. Jim Ryun follows:]