Drug Control Policy Director Meets with ELCA Officials

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. =20
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=20 small role in prevention. =20
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.=20
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. =20
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.
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