Problem definition and the Failures of U.S. Drug Policy

Type :

Term papers

Pages :

10 pages

Format :

.doc

Published date :

05/22/2009

Category :

Economics & finance

Sub category :

Criminal law

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Summary :

Introduction
The reasons for which budget allocates more money to demand reduction programs
The cocaine epidemic
President Bush's drug policy
The prohibitive framework
The public health framework
The war on drugs
National Drug Control Strategy's goals
The effects of treatment programs
Defining drug abuse as a public health problem
The Dutch view on drug abuse
The treatment
Conclusion
Bibliography

Abstract

The "war on drugs" in the United States has not been successful because drug policy has focused on defining the problem of drugs as a criminal justice concern and not as a public health issue. By defining the drug problem in this way, focus has remained on enforcement and neglected treatment and prevention. In order to make significant progress in dealing with the problem of drug use and drug addiction, U.S. drug policy needs to be redefined as both a medical issue as well as a criminal justice issue. In this way, by making a more balanced budget between enforcement and treatment and prevention, solutions will target both the medical and criminal issues of drug use in the United States.The debate over drug policy can be divided into two sides: those advocating supply reduction programs on one hand, and demand reduction programs on the other hand. Supply reduction programs are "characterized by law enforcement efforts, are designed to stop or disrupt the flow of illicit drugs into the country," while demand reduction programs "or drug treatment and prevention programs, seeks to discourage individuals from trying illicit substances or encourage and assist current drug users to stop." U.S. drug policy officials claim that the budget for policy is equally divided between supply reduction and demand reduction programs however the budget is tilted in favor of supply reduction programs. The reasoning behind why the budget allocates more money to demand reduction programs is the drug policy uses the variable of prevalence as the key indicator. Prevalence is measured by the number of people using drugs and the goal is to reduce that number of people. Prevalence of drug use has emerged as "in general, elected officials have accepted the prohibitive foundation of U.S. drug policy."

The prohibitive foundation is evident by the use of the term "war on drugs" and the official position in the government of the "drug czar." The prohibitive framework has dominated U.S. drug policy but the other frameworks that need to be evaluated include the public health framework and the libertarian framework, which will be discussed later.