The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) has become the first U.S. government Cabinet agency to use YouTube to provide video content to Internet users worldwide. ONDCP has begun posting videos of award-winning anti-drug advertising, national drug policy announcements, and other exclusive content.

This effort will enable the ONDCP, which oversees all aspects of Federal drug control policy, to reach more Americans, especially younger Americans, online. This also illustrates how public institutions can adapt to meet the rapidly changing nature of today's communications field.

John Walters, Director of ONDCP and President Bush's "Drug Czar" said, "Over the past several years there has been an explosion in the number of Americans using emerging technologies to publish their views, learn about important issues, and to communicate with each other. We know that in order to remain effective communicators in this new information age, public institutions must adapt to meet the realities of these promising technologies."

YouTube is a free video hosting Web site that allows users to upload, view, and share video clips and also allows users to "embed" these video clips on personal blogs and Web sites. The use of this video sharing technology will allow ONDCP to expand its ability to share accurate drug information and help more Americans understand how their government is working with communities to combat the misery, addiction, and violence caused by illegal drugs.

Over the past two years, ONDCP has implemented use of various "new media" technologies which has allowed the agency to promote successful anti-drug programs. In February 2005, ONDCP launched the first official blog for a Cabinet-level agency. ONDCP also posts podcasts of speeches, commentary from public health officials and audio of anti-drug events.

KW