In terms of either human compassion or cost benefit analysis, the 5 million people chronically addicted to drugs pose an enormous problem to a successful and stable society, McCaffrey said.

What is needed, said McCaffrey, is a well-planned, non-partisan national drug policy.

"We cannot have a coherent drug policy without an emphasis on science instead of ideology," McCaffrey said.

Yet, many of the decisions of McCaffrey's White House Office of National Drug Control Policy have been embroiled in political controversy. Audience questions following the body of McCaffrey's speech centered on these controversial issues.

Questioners asked McCaffrey about his stance on needle exchange programs. Reportedly, McCaffrey's personal stance on needle programs impacted President Clinton's final decision not to fund the programs.

McCaffrey responded by clarifying the official federal position. While the federal government will not provide funds for these programs, which offer free clean needles to addicts, it will support the programs on the local level, he said. Needles are extremely cheap, and are an issue that can be adequately handled by mayors or other local administration.

On a personal level, McCaffrey said he was skeptical of the programs' merit. "Science supports needle exchange as an aspect that may help to draw people into other treatment. I have personally concluded that we are remiss in endorsing as social policy treatments that leave people in misery," McCaffrey said.