Children Treated to Warning by President on Drug Abuse

The White House helped 500 local schoolchildren celebrate Halloween on Tuesday, and along with the treats the youngsters got an admonition from President Bush to beware of something truly scary--illegal drugs.

Bush and his wife, Barbara, emerged through the mouth of a 15-foot jack-o-lantern erected over the staid diplomatic entrance of the White House.

In addition, the White House collected pledge cards from the children forswearing drugs.

“You know they say that there’s a ghost in this old house, and the most famous one is Abraham Lincoln,” Bush told the children.

“Barbara and I haven’t seen the ghost of Abraham Lincoln walking the halls, but this is our first Halloween in the White House, so maybe we’ll see him tonight.”

The President added: “Halloween is a time for ghosts and goblins, for haunted houses and scary stories.” But there is one “scary story that isn’t make-believe. You know what I’m talking about . . . illegal drugs and how they hurt people, how they hurt families, hurt kids, some of them just like you.”