Drug Czar’s Super Bowl Ad Campaign Slammed in Print, on Airwaves Across Country

Press Release February 7, 2002
Media Contact

Tony Newman at 510-208-7711 or Matt Briggs at 212-548-1147

Five days after launching a costly advertising campaign in which innocent American young people “confess” to being murderers, torturers and terrorists, the Office of National Drug Control Policy is facing a hail of strong criticism from coast to coast.

“The drug czar’s office wants to hide their failed war on drugs behind the war on terrorism,” said Matthew Briggs of the Drug Policy Alliance. “That’s bad enough – but what’s truly appalling is that they would stoop to blaming our own children.”

“They crossed a line no one else has crossed,” said Briggs. “And the public is saying ‘no’.”

In the past several days, strong criticism of the ads has appeared on ABC’s Politically Incorrect, Fox’s O’Reilly Factor, CNN’s Crossfire, CBS Marketplace, and in The Weekly Standard, Reuters, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, New York Newsday, the San Francisco Chronicle, and in Arianna Huffington’s nationally syndicated column.

Critics have made the following points:

Read What is Being Said About the Super Bowl Drug War Ads

A young woman holds a sign that says "End the Drug War."

Sign up for updates from DPA.

2024 Election Update

TRUMP WANTS MORE DRUG WAR

Not on our watch! Help us prepare for the fight ahead.
en_USEnglish