Title: Drug Control Policy Director Meets with ELCA Officials
ELCA NEWS SERVICE
April 7, 1999
DRUG CONTROL POLICY DIRECTOR MEETS WITH ELCA OFFICIALS
99-14-081-JB
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Barry R. McCaffrey, a member of President
Clinton's cabinet, met with officials of the Evangelical Lutheran Church
in America (ELCA) here April 6 and urged them to help teach young people
to resist illegal drugs and underage tobacco and alcohol use.
Since 1996, McCaffrey has been director of the White House Office
of National Drug Control Policy. He met with the Rev. H. George
Anderson, presiding bishop of the ELCA and the Rev. Charles S. Miller,
executive director of the ELCA Division for Church in Society.
McCaffrey's visit was part of the 1999 National Drug Control
Strategy. One of its five goals is to "educate and enable America's
youth to reject illegal drugs as well as alcohol and tobacco." The
faith community is specifically mentioned in the strategy as one of the
groups that can influence young people in their formative years.
McCaffrey said the drug control strategy focuses on education and
prevention and is aimed at people ages nine to 19. Many will first
encounter drugs in middle schools, he said. Research shows drug use is
not connected to any particular race, socioeconomic class, intelligence
level or where a young person lives, McCaffrey said. It permeates
society, he said.
"Solutions to the drug problem are most likely in your parishes
versus inside the Washington Beltway, McCaffrey said to Anderson and
Miller during the meeting. McCaffrey
said he is meeting with the leaders of many organizations, including
churches, that have a role in forming youth attitudes. Religious
organization are among the "most positive" parts of American society, he
said.
McCaffrey said he has visited several successful drug treatment
facilities. "Many of these programs seemed to be founded on a spiritual
component," he said, adding that an addicted adolescent costs society
about $2 million over a lifetime.
In their discussion, Anderson told McCaffrey the ELCA has a
"formative context" for discussion of attitudes in confirmation classes,
many of which include children in the fifth grade. In addition the
ELCA, like many organizations, is involved in asset-building with young
people, he said.
As an example, he showed McCaffrey a new resource, "Take it to
Heart," a guide to help nurture children, youth and families in the
community of faith. The guide includes lessons on developing skills in
decision-making, self-discipline, conflict resolution and positive
identity. It was developed by the ELCA Division for Congregational
Ministries and Lutheran Brotherhood, a fraternal benefits society based
in Minneapolis.
The "Help the Children" initiative, one of seven ELCA Initiatives
for the New Century, is aimed at advocacy for the basic needs of
children, Anderson said. "We're trying to put a face on this effort by
getting people to look at their own children and their own schools,"
Anderson told McCaffrey.
Miller pointed out that social service agencies of the church,
funded significantly through government sources, are geared toward
treatment of alcohol and drug abuse and have only a
small role in prevention.
The ELCA has also been concerned with social responsibility, such
as urging U.S. tobacco companies to eliminate their advertising to young
people, especially in foreign countries, Miller said. Federal rules make
it difficult to raise these issues formally with companies, he said.
In addition, Miller said the church is developing a new social
policy on health issues. "There is an intrinsic connection between
faith and health," he said.
Miller added that the culture's support of smoking and drinking,
in which advertising plays a part, has a lot to do with attitudes
adolescents develop.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html
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