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1252822
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4/27/76 - Remarks Upon Signing Message to Congress on Drug Abuse
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document
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1
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id
1252822
sourceUrl
contentType
document
title
4/27/76 - Remarks Upon Signing Message to Congress on Drug Abuse
citationUrl
collections
President's Speeches and Statements Reading Copies (Ford Administration)
Reading Copies of Presidential Speeches and Statements
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U.S. Congress. (1789 - )
Speeches, addresses, etc.
Presidential messages
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1252822
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27
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1976-04-27
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4
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1976
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27
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1976-04-27
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4
year
1976
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1
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The original documents are located in Box 30, "4/27/76 - Remarks Upon Signing Message
to Congress on Drug Abuse" of the President's Speeches and Statements: Reading Copies
at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald Ford donated to the United
States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Digitized from Box 30 of President's Speeches and Statements: Reading Copies at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
THE PRESIDENT HAS SEEN.
SIGNING STATEMENT: DRUG MESSAGE
APRIL 27, 1976
-1-
-
FOR NEARLY A YEAR I HAVE BEEN DEVOTING INCREASING
ATTENTION TO A PROBLEM WHICH STRIKES AT THE VERY HEART
OF OUR NATIONAL WELL-BEING -- DRUG ABUSE
I HAVE INITIATED AND THEN ENDORSED A MAJOR STUDY OF THE
ISSUE;
-2-
I HAVE MET WITH FOREIGN HEADS-OF-STATE, MEMBERS OF THE
CONGRESS AND MEMBERS OF MY CABINET TO EXPRESS MY deep
the need for
CONCERN AND URGE ACTION; AND I HAVE PUBLICLY SPOKEN
ABOUT THIS AS ONE OF THE MOST SERIOUS AND TRAGIC
PROBLEMS OUR COUNTRY FACES
-3-
TODAY, A AM SEND ING TO THE CONGRESS A SPECIAL
MESSAGE ON DRUG ABUSE WHICH OUTLINES IN FRANK TERMS THE
SEVERITY OF THE PROBLEM, AND WHICH PROPOSES DEFINITIVE
STEPS WHICH MUST BE TAKEN TO MEET THE CHALLENGE POSED
BY THE WORSENING DRUG SITUATION
-4-
I AM REQUESTING THE CONGRESS TO ENACT SPECIFIC
LEGISLATION TO IMPROVE OUR ABILITY TO PUT THE TRAFFICKERS
WHO SELL DRUGS INTO PRISON
I AM ALSO CALLING FOR A RENEWED COMMITMENT TO A
PROGRAM THAT BALANCES THE LAW ENFORCEMENT EFFORT WITH
THE PROVISION OF HUMANE AND EFFECTIVE TREATMENT FOR DRUG USERS.
-5-
FINALLY, SINCE OUR ABILITY TO CONTROL THE SUPPLY
OF ILLEGAL DRUGS IN THIS COUNTRY DEPENDS TO A LARGE
DEGREE ON THE INTEREST AND CAPABILITY OF FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS
IN CONTROLLING DRUGS WHICH ORIGINATE IN OR MOVE THROUGH
THEIR TERRITORY, I RENEW THIS GOVERNMENT'S COMMITMENT TO
PROVIDING SUPPORT TO FOREIGN ALLIES IN THIS FIGHT
-6-
WITH THE COMBINED EFFORTS OF THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH,
THE CONGRESS, STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT,
AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR, WE CAN CONTROL DRUG ABUSE
-7-
NOW THAT THE PROBLEM IS WORSENING WE MUST NOT SHRINK
FROM THE CHALLENGE. BUT RATHER REDOUBLE OUR EFFORTS
AT ALL LEVELS TO PROVIDE THE LEADERSHIP AND RESOURCES
TO REVERSE THE TREND
END OF TEXT