Synthetic Drug Control Strategy: A Focus on Methamphetamine and Prescription Drug Abuse

• NCJ Number: 213477
• Date Published: June 2006
• Length: 53 pages
• Corporate Author: US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Health and Human Services; Office of National Drug Control Policy
• Sale Source: Drug Policy Information Clearinghouse; Office of National Drug Control Policy
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Legislation/Policy Description
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This companion document to the President's National Drug Control Strategy presents the Federal strategy for responding to the illicit use and production of methamphetamine and the illicit use of controlled substance prescription drugs.

Abstract

The Synthetics Strategy follows the main principles of the National Strategy; i.e., supply and demand are the ultimate drivers in all illicit drug markets, which requires a balanced approach that incorporates prevention, treatment, and market-disruption initiatives such as interdiction, arrest, prosecution and regulatory interventions. Like the National Strategy, it also has the goal of reducing synthetic drugs use at a rate approximating 5 percent each year. A separate strategy for synthetic drugs was developed, however, because the markets of these drugs pose unique challenges, in that the drug itself (prescription drugs) or its ingredients (methamphetamine) are designed for legal possession and use. Also, methamphetamine has distinctive health and environmental problems associated with its production. This report describes the state of the illicit markets for methamphetamine and controlled substance prescription drugs. It then sets targets for reduced numbers in three categories: illicit methamphetamine use, domestic methamphetamine laboratories, and the illicit use of controlled substance prescription drugs. This section of the report explains the principles and insights guiding the Synthetics Strategy and describes how performance goals will be measured. Next, the report describes the strategy itself, explaining how the targets will be met for use and production by the end of 2008. Both supply reduction and demand reduction activities are addressed for methamphetamine use and the abuse of controlled substance prescription drug abuse. The report concludes with a description of how the strategy will respond to the health and environmental consequences of methamphetamine labs. Appended recommendations of the National Synthetic Drugs Action Plan