EXECUTIVE
[HE5-1]
[PR7-1/P*]

THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
December 21, 1970

 

MEMORANDUM FOR: THE PRESIDENT
SUBJECT:
December 21, 1970
12: 30 p. m.		 Meeting with Elvis Presley
I. PURPOSE
 

To thank Elvis Presley for his offer to help in trying to stop the drug epidemic in the country, and to ask him to work with us in bringing a more positive attitude to young people through-out the country.

In his letter to you, Elvis Presley offered to help as much as possible with the growing drug problem. He requested the meeting with you this morning when he presented himself to the guard at the Northwest Gate bearing a letter.
II. PARTICIPANTS
  Elvis Presley
Bud Krogh (staff)
III. TALKING POINTS
 
A. We have asked the entertainment industry - both television and radio - to assist us in our drug fight.
B. You are aware that the average American family has 4 radio sets; 98% of the young people between 12 and 17 listen to radio. Between the time a child is born and he leaves high school, it is estimated he watches between 15, 000 and 20,000 hours of television. That is more time than he spends in the classroom.

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C. The problem is critical: As of December 14, 1970, 1,022 people died this year in New York alone from just narcotic related deaths. 208 of these were teenagers.
D. Two of youth's folk heroes, Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin, recently died within a period of two weeks reportedly from drug-related causes. Their deaths are a sharp reminder of how the rock music culture has been linked to the drug sub-culture. If our youth are going to emulate the rock music stars, from now on let those stars affirm their conviction that true and lasting talent is the result of self motivation and discipline and not artificial chemical euphoria.
E. Suggestions for Presley activities:
  1. Work with White House Staff

  2. Cooperate with and encourage the creation of an hour Television Special in which Presley narrates as stars such as himself sing popular songs and interpret them for parents in order to show drug and other anti-establishment themes in rock music.

  3. Encourage fellow artists to develop a new rock musical theme, “Get High on Life.”

  4. Record an album with the theme "Get High on Life" at the federal narcotic rehabilitation and research facility at Lexington, Kentucky.

  5. Be a consultant to the Advertising Council on how to communicate anti-drug messages to youth.