NCJ Number
171157
Date Published
1998
Length
117 pages
Annotation
After outlining key elements of the national drug control strategy and providing program budget information as well as a description of the performance measurement system, this report presents data on drug use, drug treatment, and the consequences of drug use.
Abstract
The report indicates that overall, drug use is down substantially. Since 1979 the number of users of any illicit drugs has declined from 25.4 million to 13 million, a decline of 50 percent. The Nation is moving away from cocaine; use of cocaine is down from its peak in 1985 of 5.7 million users to 1.7 million in 1996, a decline of 70 percent. Use of marijuana is down from 23.8 million users in 1979 to 10.1 million in 1996, a decline of 58 percent. Use Appears to have stabilized in the household population. Although there is some modest good news, especially regarding attitudes, drug use, primarily of marijuana, is still a serious problem among youth. In addition, both heroin and methamphetamine use are increasing. This report also provides information and data on the Media Campaign/Drug Free Communities Act, the consequences of drug use, drug treatment, and supply reduction policy and successes, with attention to price and purity. Extensive graphic data