ONDCP Blog

The National Drug Control Strategy: From “Rethinking” to Reform

In a recent Saturday Essay in the Wall Street Journal, drug policy experts Mark A. R. Kleiman, Jonathan P. Caulkins, and Angela Hawken note that the problem of drug abuse and addiction does not lend itself to simple solutions: neither an enforcement-centric “war on drugs” nor the simple notion of drug legalization provide the answer to this complex public health and safety problem.  Rather, the authors point out that innovative criminal justice programs and policy reforms—backed by evidence—hold great promise for reducing drug use and its consequences in the United States.

I am pleased to see innovative ideas for addressing our country’s drug problem gaining traction in a public debate that is increasingly dominated by extremes.  Just last Tuesday I released the Obama Administration’s 2012 National Drug Control Strategy, which serves as the Nation's blueprint for reducing drug use and its consequences.  The new Strategy provides a review of the progress we have made over the past 3 years and looks ahead to our continuing efforts to reform, rebalance, and renew our national drug control policy to address the public health and safety challenges of the 21st century.  Since the publication of the Administration’s inaugural National Drug Control Strategy in 2010, the annual Strategy has been incorporating much of the research cited by the essay’s authors and turning it into action.

For example, the authors cite the promising results first achieved by Judge Steve Alm of Hawaii through the use of an enhanced probation program (Project HOPE) that employs drug testing and swift, certain—but moderate—sanctions for detected drug use.  As part of the National Drug Control Strategy, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) is funding a demonstration field experiment to test this approach in four new jurisdictions that vary widely in demographics, population, density, and geographic location—Clackamas County, OR; Essex County, MA; Saline County, AR; and Tarrant County, TX (the probation chief for Tarrant County, Leighton Iles, was quoted in the Wall Street Journal essay).  The National Institute of Justice will be conducting an evaluation of this project.

In addition, the essay highlights the Drug Market Intervention program, which reduces drug dealing and related violence by creating clear and predictable sanctions, offering a range of community services, establishing community standards for acceptable behavior, and improving community-police relations through direct engagement among law enforcement, prosecutors, drug dealers, their families, and communities.The 2012 National Drug Control Strategy includes support for technical assistance and program evaluation in communities that are implementing the Drug Market Intervention program.

These are just two examples of the Strategy’s criminal justice reform efforts, which also include support for drug treatment courts, sentencing reform, institutional change initiatives, evidence-based community supervision and reentry programs, and efforts to eliminate legal and regulatory barriers facing individuals in recovery from substance use disorders.

More information on the criminal justice reform efforts included in the National Drug Control Strategy can be found here.

R. Gil Kerlikowske is Director of National Drug Control Policy

A Drug Policy for the 21st Century

Ed. Note: The following is a cross-post that originally appeared on the White House blog.

Illegal drugs not only harm a user’s mind and body, they devastate families, communities, and neighborhoods. They jeopardize public safety, prevent too many Americans from reaching their full potential, and place obstacles in the way of raising a healthy generation of young people.

 To address these challenges, today we are releasing the 2012 National Drug Control Strategy—the Obama Administration’s primary policy blueprint for reducing drug use and its consequences in America.  The President’s inaugural National Drug Control Strategy, published in 2010, charted a new direction in our approach to drug policy.  Today’s Strategy builds upon that approach, which is based on science, evidence, and compassion.  Most important, it is based on the premise that drug addiction is a chronic disease of the brain that can be prevented and treated.  Simply put, we are not powerless against the challenge of substance abuse – people can recover, and millions are in recovery.   These individuals are our neighbors, friends and family members.  They contribute to our communities, our workforce, our economy, and help make America stronger. 

Our emphasis on addressing the drug problem through a public health approach is grounded in decades of research and scientific study.  There is overwhelming evidence that drug prevention and treatment programs achieve meaningful results with significant long-term cost savings.  In fact, recent research has shown that each dollar invested in an evidence-based prevention program can reduce costs related to substance use disorders by an average of $18.

But reducing the burden of our Nation’s drug problem stretches beyond prevention and treatment.  We need an all of the above approach.  To address this problem in a comprehensive way, the President’s new Strategy also applies the principles of public health to reforming the criminal justice system, which continues to play a vital role in drug policy.  It outlines ways to break the cycle of drug use, crime, incarceration, and arrest by diverting non-violent drug offenders into treatment, bolstering support for reentry programs that help offenders rejoin their communities, and advancing support for innovative enforcement programs proven to improve public health while protecting public safety. 

Together, we have achieved significant reform in the way we address substance abuse.  And the Affordable Care Act will—for the first time—require insurers to cover treatment for drug addiction the same way they would other chronic diseases.  This is a revolutionary shift in how we address drug policy in America. 

Over the past three decades, we have reduced illegal drug use in America.  Over the long term, rates of drug use among young people today are far lower than they were 30 years ago.  More recently cocaine use has dropped nearly 40 percent and meth use has dropped by half. And we can do more. As President Obama has noted, we have successfully changed attitudes regarding rates of smoking and drunk driving and with your help we can do the same with our illegal drug problem.

1. Click here to see videos and read more about innovative new alternatives to drug control supported by the Obama Administration
2. Click here to download the infographic: “Obama Administration Drug Policy: A Record of Reform”

 A full copy of the 2012 National Drug Control Strategy is available here.

Kathleen Sebelius is the Secretary of Health and Human Services; Eric Holder is the U.S. Attorney General; and Gil Kerlikowske is the Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy

Strengthening Partnerships to Combat the Threat of Synthetic Drugs

Calls to Poison Control Centers relating to synthetic drugs, such as synthetic marijuana and bath salts, have increased dramatically over the past two years.  In the United States, Poison Control Centers report that calls relating to synthetic marijuana more than doubled last year, rising from 2,915 in 2010 to 6,890 in 2011.  Calls relating to bath salts skyrocketed from 303 in 2010 to 6,072 in 2011.  And the harms resulting from the ingestion of synthetic marijuana, sometimes marketed as K2, and bath salts, are real.  The effects of synthetic marijuana include agitation, extreme nervousness, nausea, vomiting, tachycardia (fast, racing heartbeat), elevated blood pressure, tremors and seizures, hallucinations, and dilated pupils.  Similar to the adverse effects of cocaine, LSD and methamphetamine, bath salt use is associated with increased heart rate and blood pressure, extreme paranoia, hallucinations, and violent behavior, which causes users to harm themselves or others.  Recognizing this emerging threat, the Obama Administration is taking decisive action to protect public health and safety.

The Drug Enforcement Administration used its emergency scheduling authority last year to ban eight substances related to synthetic marijuana and synthetic stimulants deemed harmful to public health and safety.  We are also working with Congress to pass legislation that would make this ban permanent, as states across the nation also take action. 

However, because the drug trade knows no national boundaries, we must also leverage the power of international cooperation to address the issue.  Not only does the consumption of these drugs affect citizens worldwide, but many of the substances used to make synthetic drugs sold in the United States are manufactured and distributed in other countries.  We must therefore, work closely with the international community to promote smart international controls on synthetic drugs. 

As part of this effort, the U.S. Government engaged with other nations to pass a resolution on synthetic drugs at last month’s meeting of the United Nations Commission on Narcotics Drugs in Vienna, Austria. The resolution promotes broader international cooperation and, more specifically, calls on the World Health Organization to review synthetic substances for possible international scheduling—the first step in tightening international controls on synthetic drugs.  Approval of the resolution by United Nations Members is a strong indication that many nations, not just the United States, want to see action to address the global synthetics trade.

The resolution also calls for:

• Improved research, forensic analysis, and monitoring of internet sales of synthetics;
• Countries to address the synthetics threat via emergency scheduling and the use of consumer protection, health, and hazardous substances legislation;
• Enhanced criminal sanctions to prevent the illicit manufacture and trafficking of synthetics;
• The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to exchange information on synthetics with the International Narcotics Control Board, the International Criminal Police Organization, and the World Customs Organization;
• Enhanced collection and sharing of information on these substances through existing and new mechanisms, including consideration of the creation of a UNODC “watch list” that could serve as an international early warning advisory system for new psychoactive substances.

The resolution is a significant step forward, and we look forward to continuing our work with partners at home and around the world to reduce the availability and use of synthetic drugs and protect Americans from this growing public health and safety threat.

Recent information from the Office of National Drug Control Policy on synthetic drugs can be found at:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/ondcp/news-releases-remarks/white-house-drug-policy-director-convenes-federal-agencies

Richard Baum is Branch Chief for International Policy in the Office of Supply Reduction

The White House Honors “Champions of Change” in Youth Violence Prevention

Yesterday, the White House recognized twelve leaders from across the Nation as “Champions of Change” for their work to prevent youth violence in their communities as part of the National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention.

One of the honorees was Fernanda Ocana, a young community activist from Salinas, California. Fernanda grew up in a community that had few positive role models for young Latinas.  To counteract the lack of positive influences, she got involved in the Community Alliance for Safety and Peace and in Building Healthy Communities for East Salinas.  Fernanda is now a sophomore in college and looks forward to continuing her work in the community once she graduates.

Another honoree was De Quan O’Neal, an advisory board member of Neighborhood Service Organization’s Youth Initiatives Project (YIP), a youth leadership and advocacy training program in Detroit, Michigan.  De Quan got involved in community activism, working with 35 of his peers to kick off the 2012 “Hugs Not Bullets” Campaign to discourage gun violence, and working with other youth because he wants a better future for himself and his peers.  He also believes that young people need adults to provide strong leadership and mentoring, so that youth are provided with a clear roadmap for success.

These “Champions of Change” were honored on the 44th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination.  As we reflect on his legacy, it is wonderful to see his vision of community service present in these young leaders, who continue to work toward violence prevention and improving the lives of youth all across the country.

To learn more about these courageous leaders, visit the Champions of Change website.  You can also visit the ONDCP website for more information on ONDCP’s work on community-based prevention and breaking the cycle of drug abuse, crime, and recidivism through criminal justice reform.