Bush Admin Takes War on Drugs to YouTube

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The Bush administration is to distribute anti-drug, public service announcements and other videos via YouTube, the — as AP puts it — “trendy Internet video service that already features clips of wacky, drug-induced behavior and step-by-step instructions for growing marijuana plants.” (And cooking with them, as in the highly instructive video below.)

“If just one teen sees this and decides illegal drug use is not the path for them, it will be a success,” said Rafael Lemaitre, a spokesman for the drug office.

On the other hand, Lee Rainie, director of the Pew Internet & American Life Project, points out that these young trendy folks “will quickly edit the government’s videos to produce parodies and distribute those on YouTube” (AP’s wording).

A safe bet, I’d say.

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PLEASE—BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things it doesn’t like—which is most things that are true.

We’ll say it loud and clear: At Mother Jones, no one gets to tell us what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please do your part and help us reach our $150,000 membership goal by May 31.

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