NCJ Number
165470
Date Published
1997
Length
21 pages
Annotation
Psychological theory and research are presented and used to develop a framework for analyzing drug policies and to propose a new policy direction.
Abstract
Current drug policies are based largely on the rational choice view of human nature. This view is analytically attractive but psychologically implausible. It includes only three of the seen mechanisms by which drug laws might affect drug use. These include fear of legal sanctions, drug availability, drug price, the symbolic threshold effect, the forbidden fruit effect, stigmatization, and informal social controls. Data regarding these effects and specific subpopulations suggest that in the short run, legalization might increase drug use most among the rural working poor and that over time use might spread and ultimately become less concentrated among youth and marginalized populations. However, existing knowledge has many gaps. In addition, discussions of current drug policies focus mainly on policy effects on drug use. A more appropriate approach is to focus on total harm reduction, although it is unclear what programs would actually achieve it. A policy of total harm reduction offers an alternative to those concerned by the problems of the current drug strategy but opposed or indifferent to drug legalization. Figures, footnotes, and 44 references