William Bennett and Mario Cuomo to Co-Chair Partnership for a Drug-Free America; PDFA Seeks $175 Million From Taxpayers

MEDIA September-October 1997

On August 17, Mario Cuomo (D), former Governor of New York, and William Bennett (R), former "drug czar" during the Bush administration, announced they are teaming up to co-chair the Partnership for a Drug-Free America (PDFA), a coalition of individuals and groups representing the advertising, media production and communications industries that produce anti-drug advertising. Mr. Cuomo and Mr. Bennett, who have opposed each other on many issues, decided to co-chair PDFA because of their shared belief that people should not use drugs (Associated Press, "2 political foes unite in new anti-drug drive," Chicago Tribune, August 18, 1997, p. 13; Joyce Price, "Bennett, Cuomo to attack drug rise," Washington Times, August 18, 1997, p. A1; "Anti-drug ad promotion," Houston Chronicle, August 18, 1997, p. 7A).

PDFA has asked the federal government for the $175 million that it plans to allocate for its national youth media strategy aimed at reaching children by television, radio and the Internet (See "Strategy's Rhetoric Aimed at Youth Drug Use ...," NewsBriefs, March 1997). The national youth media strategy plans to double the resources available for anti-drug advertisements by requiring media organizations from which the government buys advertising time to donate an equivalent amount of air time for additional messages (Joyce Price, "Drug control office to wage war on TV," Washington Times, August 21, 1997, p. A5).

Partnership For a Drug-Free America - (212) 922-1560.