A Public Health Approach to National Drug Control

On April 17^th the Obama Administration released the 2012 National Drug Control Strategy.  The goal of strategy is to be a blueprint for reducing drug use and its consequences.    According to the document, “Illicit drug use in America contributed to an estimated $193 billion in crime, health, and lost productivity costs in 2007.”  The 2012 National Drug Control Strategy is based on the premise that drug addiction is a treatable and preventable chronic brain disease.  It focuses on addressing the problem through a public health approach based on research and scientific evidence indicating that “drug prevention and treatment programs achieve meaningful results with significant long-term cost savings.” 

The strategy includes strengthening efforts to prevent drug use in America’s communities; seeking early intervention opportunities; integrating treatment for substance use disorders into health care and expanding support for recovery; disrupting domestic drug trafficking and production; breaking the cycle of drug use, crime, delinquency and incarceration; and preventing prescription drug abuse.

To read the 2012 National Drug Control Strategy in its entirety, please click here.