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Conversation: 062-001

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Start Date: 17-Jun-1971 7:55 AM

End Date: 17-Jun-1971 3:37 PM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Williams, Harrison A., Jr.Hruska, Roman L.Aiken, George D.Ellender, Allen J.Young, Milton R.Thurmond, StromMagnuson, Warren G. ("Maggie")Albert, Carl B.Boggs, [Thomas] HaleFord, Gerald R.Quie, Albert H.Celler, EmanuelPoff, Richard H.Arends, Leslie C.Hébert, F. EdwardMahon, George H.Teague, Olin E.Rogers, Paul G.Springer, William L.Krogh, Egil ("Bud"), Jr.Timmons, William E.Ehrlichman, John D.Donfeld, JeffreyZiegler, Ronald L.Klein, Herbert G.Jaffe, Jerome H. (Dr.)

Recording Device: Cabinet Room

062a.mp3

062b.mp3

NARA Description:

On June 17, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and bipartisan Congressional leaders, including Harrison A. Williams, Jr., Roman L. Hruska, George D. Aiken, Allen J. Ellender, Milton R. Young, Strom Thurmond, Warren G. ("Maggie") Magnuson, Carl B. Albert, [Thomas] Hale Boggs, Gerald R. Ford, Albert H. Quie, Emanuel Celler, Richard H. Poff, F. Edward Hébert, Leslie C. Arends, F. Edward Hébert, George H. Mahon, Olin E. ("Tiger") Teague, Paul G. Rogers, William L. Springer, Egil ("Bud") Krogh, Jr., William E. Timmons, John D. Ehrlichman, Jeffrey Donfeld, Ronald L. Ziegler, Herbert G. Klein, and Dr. Jerome H. Jaffe, met in the Cabinet Room of the White House at an unknown time between 7:55 am and 3:37 pm. The Cabinet Room taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 062-001 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 62-1

Date: June 17, 1971
Time: Unknown between 7:55 am and 3:37 pm
Location: Cabinet Room

Harrison A. Williams, Jr., met with Roman L. Hruska, George D. Aiken, Allen J. Ellender,
Milton R. Young, Strom Thurmond, Warren G. (“Maggie”) Magnuson, Carl B. Albert, [Thomas]
Hale Boggs, Gerald R. Ford, Albert H. Quie, Emanuel Celler, Richard H. Poff, F. Edward
Hébert, Leslie C. Arends, George H. Mahon, Olin E. (“Tiger”) Teague, Paul G. Rogers, William
L. Springer, Egil (“Bud”) Krogh, Jr., William E. Timmons, John D. Ehrlichman, Jeff Donfeld,
Ronald L. Ziegler, Herbert G. Klein, and Dr. Jerome H. Jaffe

     [General conversation/Unintelligible]

The President entered at 8:06 am

     Foreign policy
          -Role in bipartisan meetings
               -Benefits

     Drug programs
          -Interest of bipartisan politicians
          -Background introduction
          -Use of drugs
                -Socio-economic classes
                -In schools
                -Racial breakdown
                -Armed forces
                      -Robert H. Finch’s report
                            -Use by visitors
                      -Vietnam situation
                            -Availability of drugs
                            -Cost of drugs compared to cost in United States
                            -General Creighton W. Abrams, Jr.’s report
                                  -Check of new recruits
                                  -Use of drugs by new recruits
                -Effect of combination of factors
                -Extent of problem
          -New program
                -Requirements
                      -Money
                                              2

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/08)



                     -Support by Congress
                -Four problems


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     Supply

[To listen to the segment (2m9s) declassified on 02/28/2002, please refer to RC# E-532.]

******************************************************************************


                    -Enforcement
                          -Needs
                                -Personnel
                                -Penalties
                          -Prosecution
                    -Treatment
                          -Government responsibility
                    -Education
                          -Fashionable use of marijuana
                          -Dealing with “drug society”
          -Krogh’s presentation
               -Special action office on drug abuse prevention
                    -Location
                    -Goals
                          -Limitation of drug use
                          -Limitation of crime
                    -Washington, DC programs
                          -Chief of Police briefing
                          -Heroin as related to DC crime
                          -Results
                    -Director
                          -Responsibilities
                                -Treatment
                                -Rehabilitation
                                -Education
                                -Training
                                -Research
               -History of drug programs
                    -Krogh’s role
                                3

          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                       Tape Subject Log
                         (rev. 10/08)



      -Drawbacks
-Benefits of new office
      -Role of “line” agencies
      -Role of new director
      -Formal working agreements
            -Previous efforts
                  -Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI]
                  -Skyjacking model
-Organization of new office
      -Emphasis on evaluation of programs
      -Size of office
      -Setting of strategy and priorities for subsidiary groups
-Funds for programs
      -Included programs
      -Historical trends
      -Proposed increases
      -Procedures for submitting requests
      -Accounting benefits of one office
            -Ease of locating spending
-Shifts in “line” responsibilities
-Description of line items in budget
      -Department of Defense reprogramming
            -Use
      -Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs [BNDD]
      -Customs
      -Internal Revenue Service [IRS]
-Spending of new appropriations
      -Education/training
            -Past use of funds
      -Community planning projects
            -Phoenix example
      -Research
            -Vaccines
-Methadone maintenance
      -Benefits
      -Goals of new office
-Criminal justice
      -Mexican/United States cooperation
      -Use of chemists’ analysis
      -BNDD positions
      -Evidence of production misuse
      -Export of dangerous drugs by United States
                              4

          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                     Tape Subject Log
                       (rev. 10/08)



     -Customs position
     -”Operation Intercept”
           -Drawbacks
           -Inspection requirements
           -Patrol requirements
-Drug addiction in military
     -Identification of users
     -Vietnam programs
           -Identification
           -Detoxification
           -Treatment
           -Worldwide treatment
     -Procedural set-up for Vietnam programs
           -Diagnosis
           -Identification of users
           -Detoxification
           -Cam Ranh Bay
           -Long Binh
           -Commencement
           -Urinalysis
           -Treatment in United States
                 -Possibilities
           -Location of programs
           -Disposition of patients
           -Physical location
     -Discharge provision of addicts
     -Jaffe
           -Illinois experience
     -History of drug users
     -History of military users
           -Reason for optimism
     -Presentation of options
     -Characteristics of military users
     -Discharge possibilities
           -Changes
                 -Aid to servicemen
           -Related to entrance into programs
     -Identification of users
           -New tests for heroin
           -Tests for amphetamines and barbiturates
           -Effect on treatment
     -Discharge possibilities
                        5

    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

               Tape Subject Log
                 (rev. 10/08)



      -Commission of crime
      -Compared with alcoholism
      -Use of “bad conduct” discharge
      -Treatment priorities
-Disability payments
      -Payments compared to treatment
-Detection of incoming users
      -Precautions against abuse
-”Cure” rates
-”Cure” possibilities
      -Methadone
      -Societal function
-Use of ex-users for therapy
      -Backgrounds
-Possibilities of relapse
      -Need for post-treatment support
      -Expectations
            -Effect on treatment
-Breaking of drug cycle
-Environment
      -Effect on treatment
-Testing of military entrants
-Addicts in United States compared to Vietnam
-Effect of programs
      -Choices of users
      -Needs of users
-Administration responsibility to users
      -”In service” treatment
-Treatment of users
      -Flexibility
-Treatment of alcoholics
      -Veterans’ Administration [VA] role
-Relapse of users
      -Treatment responsibilities
            -VA role
-Administration of programs
      -Role of new agency
            -Central organization
-Identification of users
      -Shortcomings
      -Use of drugs to avoid draft
-Educational efforts
                                               6

                           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/08)



                      -Goals of programs
                            -Role of diagnosis
                      -Diagnosis relative to discharge date
                      -Effect of experimentation
                      -Identification of users
                            -Techniques
                      -Education of users
                            -Misinformation regarding addiction possibilities
                            -Effect on addiction
           -Role of research
                -Deaths attributed to heroin
                -History of heroin use
                      -Post-Civil War use
                      -Cyclical characteristics
                -Addicts in United States compared to number in other nations


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     Poppies/heroin

[To listen to the segment (13s) declassified on 02/28/2002, please refer to RC# E-532.]

******************************************************************************


           -Drug problem
                 -Magnitude of efforts
                        -State Department
           -Jaffe’s Illinois programs
                 -Testing programs
                        -Use of computers
                              -Filing of results
                        -Methods
                              -Litmus paper
                                    -Benefits
           -Need for energetic attack on program
           -Jaffe’s Illinois program
                 -Identification of drug problems
                        -Housewives compared to school pupils
                 -Need for multiple response
                 -Heroin use
                                               7

                           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/08)



                      -Reasons
                      -Range of responses
                -Response of heroin users
                      -Efficacy of programs
                -Unity of different programs
                -Matching of program with user
                -Attitude of proponents of programs
                -Benefits of wide range of responses
                -Efficacy of programs
                      -Evaluation and feedback
           -Number of agencies in the field
           -Central agency
                -Ellender
                -Evaluation of agencies
                -Direction
                -Multiplicity of approaches
                -Law enforcement
                      -IRS role
                            -John B. Connally
                            -Basis of prosecution
                      -BNDD role
                -Jaffe’s role
                -Reporting to the President
                -Responsibility of agencies
                -Jaffe’s role
                -Vietnam’s effect on drug problem
                -Attack on all illegitimate drugs
                -Role of United States’ doctors
                      -Reduction of drug flow
                -Post-Vietnam responsibilities


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     Japan

[To listen to the segment (57s) declassified on 02/28/2002, please refer to RC# E-532.]

******************************************************************************


                      -Test of “free” system
                                   8

               NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                          Tape Subject Log
                            (rev. 10/08)



            -Compassion for addict
            -Pushers
-Department of Health, Education, and Welfare [HEW] bill
      -Money for drug abuse
-Education bill
      -Money for drug abuse
-Central budget planning
      -Balance of approaches
-Legislation
      -Statutory authority to central agency director
-Past congressional aid to fight drugs
-Success of drug programs
-Unification of various agencies
      -Goals
            -Central planning
            -Administration
      -Legislative flexibility
            -Future power needs
                  -Past needs
            -Future legislative needs
                  -Jaffe’s role
-Flow of enabling legislation
      -House of Representatives
            -Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee
                  -Subcommittee on health
                         -Rogers’ role
      -Senate
            -Health and Welfare Committee
            -Judiciary Committee
      -Timetable of action
-Civilian approach
      -Use of established facilities
            -Illinois precedent
            -Need for flexibility
            -Juxtaposition of treatment and those in need
            -Problems of flexibility
            -Imminent closing of facilities
            -Escape of users from treatment
            -Fort Worth facility
                  -Drawbacks
            -Locating effective treatment centers
            -Fort Worth facility
                                              9

                           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/08)



                           -Public Health Service role
                     -Hruska
                -History of law enforcement emphasis
                     -Thomas J. Dodd’s bill
                     -Harold E. Hughes’ efforts
                           -Effect on law enforcement
                -Arguments for education versus enforcement
                     -The President’s background
                           -Emphasis on enforcement
                           -Attitude changes
                           -Drawbacks of enforcement
                     -Role of treatment
                           -Ambassadors’ roles
                     -Role of education
                           -Networks’ role
                           -Use of all resources
                                 -Role of doctors
                                 -Role of teachers
                     -Need for further efforts
                     -Recognition of drug problem
                           -Drug related crime
                                 -Extent
                     -Attack on drug problem
                           -Worldwide focus
                           -Government-wide focus
                           -Nationwide focus
                                 -Bipartisan efforts
                     -Results of failure in fighting drugs
                     -Gratitude towards Congress
                     -White House initiatives
                           -Cancer precedent
                           -Need for centralization
                     -Jaffe
                           -Relations with legislators
                           -Jurisdiction over military
                           -Jaffe’s relation to Department of Defense
                           -Need for cooperation
                                 -Military shortcomings

     Gratitude for attendance

The President left at 9:48 am
                                              10

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/08)




     [General conversation/Unintelligible]

Recording was cut off at an unknown time before 3:37 pm