Mayor Diaz Hosts Mayors Conference With White House Drug Czar

 

Mayors of Chicago, Akron, and Baltimore join Mayor Diaz; New National Ad Campaign Unveiled Encouraging Citizens to Become Active against Drug Abuse in Their Communities

 

February 23, 2005 - (Miami, FL) - Local and national officials at the forefront of efforts to prevent drug use nationwide participated in a Mayors Conference in Miami on Thursday hosted by City of Miami Mayor Manny Diaz, in cooperation with the United States Conference of Mayors (USCM), and John Walters, Director of National Drug Control Policy, (President Bush’s “Drug Czar,”).

 

City of Akron Mayor Donald L. Plusquellic, President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, City of Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, City of Baltimore Mayor Martin O’Malley, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Sylvester Johnson and Miami Police Chief John L. Timoney joined Mayor Diaz, Director Walters and other officials in a discussion of drug control, including supply, prevention and treatment strategies.

 

“Drug use is an issue that faces every community in America,” said Mayor Diaz. “The purpose of this conference was to have an important collaborative discussion regarding drug policy and to share successful strategies

 

The Mayors and other officials were updated  from several federal agencies including the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), the Federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMSHA).

 

During the Mayor’s Conference the press is invited to attend as Director Walters and Peggy Conlon, President and CEO of The Advertising Council, will release a series of new public service ads (PSAs) aimed at mobilizing Americans to get involved with kids at the local level through community organizations and anti-drug coalitions.

 

The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) has been working with each of our cities via the President’s 25-Cities Initiative to bring together leaders in prevention, treatment and law enforcement to reduce drug use.  I would like to take a next step and bring together each of you, the mayors of these 25 cities, to focus on the challenges each of our cities face.

 

This is a unique opportunity to have an important discussion of the issues relating to drug abuse in 25 of the largest cities in our country.  If your city is like mine, this initiative has started an important collaborative discussion regarding drug policy, and at the same time has lead to the identification of several promising strategies and approaches that can impact a city’s drug problem.

 

###