Bush to Industry: Join War on Drugs : U.S. Chemicals Used Overseas to Refine Cocaine, He Says

President Bush said today that there is increasing evidence that foreign drug-traffickers are using American-made chemicals to refine cocaine and that “we should demand that (U.S.) corporations act responsibly” to prevent such abuses.

Bush said few Americans are aware that “illegally diverted barrels of dangerous chemicals--clearly marked with U.S. corporate logos--are routinely seized” in the jungles of Colombia.

While U.S. businesses “by and large” have supported government efforts to curb drug abuse, “industry’s got to do more,” the President said.

Parents, Stockholders

“And I hope that parents’ groups and stockholders are listening today,” he said in the speech to the International Drug Enforcement Conference here. “We should demand that (U.S.) corporations act responsibly and that they not tolerate chemicals’ ending up in criminal hands.”

More than 100 striking Eastern Airlines employees and their supporters demonstrated outside the hotel where Bush spoke. They gave a thumbs-down salute as Bush’s motorcade rode past. The President, who has refused union appeals to intervene in the nearly 8-week-old strike, waved in return.

In advance of Bush’s speech, White House Press Secretary Marlin Fitzwater said the Administration hopes that corporations will take “voluntary action” to determine the ultimate use of chemicals they sell and ship out of the country.

But in his speech, Bush noted that a wide-ranging anti-drug abuse bill passed by Congress last year authorizes the government to take action against diversion of chemicals for drug production. He said “regulations are now being drafted to tighten controls on the chemicals needed to refine cocaine.”

‘Going to Start Right Here’

Bush said the time has come to “rid the world of these toxins” and added, “We’re going to start right here in the United States . . . because, all too often, that’s the original source of the basic industrial chemicals needed to produce cocaine.”

“Traffickers have hit us where it hurts,” he told the gathering of drug enforcement officers from Latin American nations. “Now, we’re going to exploit their vulnerabilities, crimping the flow of materials, without which they cannot produce. No chemicals, no cocaine.”

Bush pointed to the seizure by a 30-nation task force last year of 155,000 pounds of highly flammable ether, almost 450,000 pounds of acetone and more than 50,000 pounds of hydrochloric acid.

He said Colombian authorities in January destroyed 25 cocaine laboratories and “enough chemicals to make approximately 83 metric tons of cocaine. The damage that’s done when 83 tons of coke hits U.S. streets is pretty obvious.”

100-Day Mark

Fitzwater said Bush believes that his trip, coming as he nears the 100-day mark of his presidency, has gone “very well.” He said he expects Bush to travel around the country frequently to discuss his agenda and programs.

He said Bush feels that it is important to “report to the American people, tell them what he is doing, discuss his program, talk about various issues. Bush will often make speeches before the American people, visit a lot of states.”

Fitzwater said he expects that the Administration will have a drug-related crime package to propose to Congress within two weeks. Atty. Gen. Dick Thornburgh indicated to reporters Wednesday that drug control director William J. Bennett is still studying options to recommend to Bush.