WASHINGTON -- Interspersed amid the flashing lights and sound effects of the newest coin-operated video games is a special message from FBI Director William Sessions to the nation's youth: 'Winners don't use drugs.'
At a photo session Tuesday, Sessions heralded the American Amusement Machine Association for cooperating with his campaign to reduce the nation's demand for drugs by programming the message to appear on thousands of coin-operated video games.
Sessions stood before three large games -- 'Double Dragon,' 'Team Quarterback' and 'Tecmo' -- that were brought to FBI headquarters for the announcement. At the start of each game and in regular intervals, the screens flashed the bureau's insignia with the message, 'Winners don't use drugs -- FBI Director William Sessions.'
Robert Fay, the association's executive vice president, said about 17 of the 20 video manufacturers have agreed to program computer software for all new machines to carry the proclamation and that it has been installed in 10,000 machines now in use. He predicted Sessions' message will be included in 100,000 of the approximate 750,000 active machines in use nationwide by year's end.
'You never know where the impact will actually be,' Sessions said.
But he said when young people understand 'that people felt it was important enough to put it on a game that they're playing and to put it in a commercial place ... the message will be strong.'
'I think demand reduction programs in every agency are beginning to catch fire, because people realize that you absolutely have to have the will of the American people' to fight drug abuse, Sessions said.
'Part of it is to be able to show alternatives and to show lifestyles that are appropriate,' he said. 'And I think young people will accept that.'
Fay likened the campaign to the recent 'missing children' and 'mother's against drunken driving' advertisements. He said the campaign is targeted at youths ages 10 to 25 believed to comprise the bulk of the regular video players.
'We have a captive audience here,' Fay said. 'The message will keep on repeating even if they don't put their quarter in.'
The idea was germinated in discussions between the FBI's deputy chief spokesman, Robert Davenport, and Fay, a former bureau agent who said his organization wanted to do its part in the fight against drug abuse.
'Drug abuse is one of the most pressing problems we have in the nation today,' Davenport said. 'If it just causes one person not to use drugs it would be worth it.'
Sessions said that in addition to the bureau's intense efforts to track drug traffickers, he has assigned two agents fulltime to his drug demand program and each of 58 bureau field offices have designated a 'coordinator for drug demand reduction.'
Davenport said the bureau also has 'been approached by some other trade organizations and-or companies' willing to use an anti-drug message.
