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Winning The War On Drugs
Although we must maintain strong laws and enforcement, there are things we can do to eliminate drug use...

...that go beyond simple prohibition and prosecution. We need to send a strong message to every American child: drugs are wrong, and drugs can kill you.

We have seen impressive evidence suggesting that we are making progress in the war on drugs. We have increased drug arrests by 46 percent and seen a nearly 50 percent drop in drug use since 1985. Adult drug use is down 39 percent since 1992, and use among young people has been cut by nearly a quarter over the last few years.

But we must do more. If I'm entrusted with the presidency, I'll lead a national crusade to dry up drug demand, hold up drugs at the border, and break up the drug rings that are spreading poison on our streets.

I will fund more drug courts to speed justice for drug-related crime, and I will double the number of High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas -- drug hot-spots where we aggressively target our enforcement efforts.

I'll expand drug treatment for at-risk youth, and I believe we have to support the Drug-Free Communities Program, which strengthens community efforts to reduce substance abuse among young people. I'll work to make sure that all of our school zones are drug-free zones by stiffening penalties on those who use children to peddle drugs and those who sell drugs near our schools.