NCJ Number
69977
Date Published
1975
Length
109 pages
Annotation
This 1975 report of the Strategy Council on Drug Abuse emphasizes a balanced treatment, rehabilitation, education, and law enforcement policy aimed at preventing drug abuse.
Abstract
The Federal strategy in dealing with this problem has been defined in five major areas. International cooperation involves diplomatic efforts and technical assistance to foreign governments and international bodies such as United Nations to prevent the production and processing of drugs abroad for illicit use in the United States and the diversion of U.S. manufactured drugs to illicit uses overseas. For example, when Turkey banned opium poppy cultivation in 1972, disrupting the flow of heroin, the U.S. pledged $35.7 million to help Turkey cover the export losses and aid former poppy growers in finding new sources of income. In addition, law enforcement efforts have partially cut off the supply of drugs to the consumer; e.g., in late 1972 and the first half of 1973, the supply of heroin on the East Coast was reduced, driving up the price for the drug on retail level. This reduced the number of vulnerable nonusers able to afford heroin. Furthermore, cooperation between the law enforcement and health experts has been established to provide treatment and rehabilitation of the offenders. The Treatment Alternatives to Street Crime, the community-based treatment programs, are financed by LEAA. Two other strategies involve demand reduction by prevention and treatment, management of the Federal agencies in order to avoid duplication of efforts, and improvement of the division of labor between Federal, State, and local agencies. Information on commonly abused drugs and budget charts are included.