Newt Gingrich: “let me just say that I really believe this is a very important turning point for the United States. And I believe this…”

“let me just say that I really believe this is a very important turning point for the United States. And I believe this motion to recommit is a perfect symbol of why, for the last 6 years, we have been losing the war on drugs, a totally unnecessary defeat, something that had been avoidable and something which has cost lives. The fact is there are some 14,000 Americans a year who die directly from drugs, and another 6,000 who die from secondary effects, including violence. Every year. Imagine if we were losing 20,000 Americans in Bosnia or 20,000 Americans in Iraq, or 20,000 Americans anywhere else in the world. That is higher than the death rate of the Vietnam War, and yet our friends seem confused about what has happened. Under Ronald Reagan and George Bush, there was a simple, clear policy: Drug use is bad, do not do drugs. If one is a drug addict, get off drugs. Come in, get help, get detoxed, get rehabilitation, but do not be confused, drug use is bad. Many of our more liberal friends laughed when Nancy Reagan said, just say no. But guess what? By saying just say no and meaning it, drug use under Reagan and Bush came down by two-thirds. Thousands of young people were saved from addiction. Thousands of young people were saved from dying. This is a real problem. A member of my staff had a sister who went out on a date 3 years ago, was given a designer drug, overdosed, went into a coma. She was 19.”