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Jimmy Carter on Drugs
President of the U.S., 1977-1981
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Declared White House to be officially "dry"
Early in his presidency, Carter proclaimed that the White House would be "dry." Each time a state dinner was held, the White House made a point of telling reporters that no liquor--only wine--would be served. "The Carters were the biggest liars in the
world," the director of the White House Military Office said. "The word was passed to get rid of all the booze. There can't be any on Air Force One, in Camp David, or in the White House."[When the alcohol was removed, the staffer continued], "I
get a call from the mess saying, 'They want Bloody Marys before going to church. What should I do?' I said, 'Find some booze and take it up to them.' "
[Another staffer confirms], "Occasionally Carter had a martini." Rosalynn would have a screwdriver.
Lillian Carter, Carter's own mother, contradicted her son's claim. In a 1977 interview with The New York Times, she said that, even though the White House was officially "dry," she managed to have a nip of bourbon every afternoon when she stayed there.
Source: In the President`s Secret Service, by Ron Kessler, p. 74-75
, Jun 29, 2009
We stopped treating alcoholism as a crime; that helped
The Drug Enforcement Agency, created in 1973, has already been tainted by scandals that forced its director to resign. Our overcrowded court system is now a major cause of crime.
We should encourage local police to give priority to violent crimes-
assault, robbery, rape, muggings, murders. When I was Governor of Georgia, we stopped treating alcoholism as a crime to provide increased medical help to alcoholics and to free our police and courts to concentrate on violent crimes.
Source: Campaign Speech in Detroit, in “Good As Its People,” p. 220
, Oct 15, 1976
As governor, implemented drug abuse programs
Carter showed himself to be a highly impatient man. He wanted quick action, and when he didn't get it, he often took matters into his own hands. Thus when the State Board of Health delayed in starting the programs in drug abuse and family planning that
he had requested, Carter went ahead and implemented them himself through executive action. He also decided to abolish the State Board of Health. When he couldn't get his way with the legislature, Carter frequently took his case to the people.
Source: Jimmy Who?, by Leslie Wheeler, p. 86
, Jan 1, 1976
Supports decriminalization of marijuana
Believing that drug laws are a little too rigid,
he supports the decriminalization of possession of small amounts of marijuana.
Source: Jimmy Who?, by Leslie Wheeler, p.185
, Jan 1, 1976
Page last updated: Apr 28, 2013
