The Nation - News from April 29, 1988

President Reagan gave a government study group 30 days to come up with new ideas for escalating the federal war on drugs, with special attention to drug users. “We don’t have much time,” Reagan said in a directive to members of his National Drug Policy Board, which represents 17 federal departments, agencies and offices. “But I want to do all I can to expand the drug fight.” White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater announced the move after Reagan was briefed on the scope of the drug problem and the status of current anti-drug efforts by representatives of nine federal agencies. Asked why Reagan had set such a short timetable, Fitzwater said: “There is a sense of urgency in that we’ve only got nine months left.”