11:09 A.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT: Just had an extraordinary discussion with a group of our fellow citizens -- some are pastors¹, some are ex-cons, some are baseball players, some are docs, some are community activists² -- all who've come together to talk about a comprehensive strategy to deal with drug use in America.

And our strategy is threefold: one, reduce demand, interdict³ supply, and then help people who have become addicts⁵. And we're making progress. No question there's still work to do in America, but we are making progress. And one way to note the progress is this statistic⁶: Since 2001, teenage use has declined by 25 percent. That means 900,000 fewer teens on drugs.

The strategy can be measured. The implementation⁷ requires understanding that grassroots activists -- for example, like the faith community -- can play an integral work in working alongside government to achieve our objectives. The Admiral here has -- Admiral Allen, Commandant of the Coast Guard, reported about our interdiction⁸ efforts -- that we've been making great progress at interdicting⁹, for example, cocaine¹⁰ being trafficked primarily out of South America and Central America into our country.

And finally I am pleased that the Access to Recovery program and programs like that are vibrant¹¹ and active, which basically says to an addict⁴: If you so choose, you can redeem¹² your health, redeem your money at a place of love in the faith community.

Lives are changing. People's lives are being saved. I say government is justice, government is law -- but government must not fear places of love. And so this has been a positive report and a great meeting, and I want to thank you all for coming. More importantly I want to thank you for being citizens, and not spectators -- people who have decided¹³ to do something about your personal lives, as well as the lives of those in your communities. It's the collective effort of thousands of social entrepreneurs that help make America a hopeful place.

There will be more work done after I'm out of here, but we have laid the foundation for a successful effort against drug use, drug supply, and helping¹⁴ those who have been addicted¹⁵.

Thank you.

END 11:12 A.M. EST