The U.S. House of Representatives last week voted to extend the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy for five more years, but fine tuned some of the areas targeted by anti-drug campaigns.

The $2.5 billion bill passed last week also set up stronger protections for activists who work to remove illegal drug activity from their neighborhoods. This measure was prompted by the firebombing of a Baltimore home in which Carnell and Angela Dawson and their five children died. The Dawsons had been vocal in their complaints about local drug activity.

The bill also made the following changes to the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy:

• Changed the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program to focus on areas with critical drug problems and suggests local, state and federal law enforcement agencies work together in places with serious drug problems.
• Requires that 30 percent of HIDTA funding be spent in seven areas through which the most drug traffic passes and that 20 percent be spent in the Southwest border area.
• Requires the office to direct at least $1 million annually to the HIDTA program, aimed at communities that suffer from severe levels of drug-related crime.
• Reinforces requirements that the national youth anti-drug media campaign be effective and accountable and not be used for political purposes.

More: Household Survey - 22 Million Substance Abusers