The National Drug Control Policy

Introduction
The President has attempted to put together nation wide programs that will help battle the war on drugs. There are three major goals that the National Drug Control Strategy focuses on. The first goal is to attempt to stop drug use before it starts. This goal will be approached by the implementation of student drug testing and opportunities for treatment and counseling. The second goal ties into the first goal by providing treatment and counseling to individuals who request help regardless of whether or not they can afford services. The third and final goal is to disrupt the drug trafficking groups by infiltrating the main players in all countries. "The main reason supply reduction matters to drug policy are that it makes drugs more expensive, less potent, and less available." (2004, p 31) The programs that end up being successful will continue to be funded and improved on. Those programs that do not show improvement will be reevaluated for future funding. In order for a strong approach to the war on drugs to occur there will need to be involvement by the community, local law enforcement and the government. "When these American's get involved in their communities, our whole Nation benefits." (2004, p 15)

Targeting Youth
The President has acknowledged the need to focus on the continued problem of drug use within our youth community. The National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign has helped decrease youth drug use over the past two years. These campaigns often have movie stars relaying strong messages against drug use to help catch the attention of our youth. The goal is to keep teens from trying drugs to begin with. The program will request the following budgets;

•Education- Student Drug testing: up to $23 million
•ONDCP- National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign: $145 million
•ONDCP- Drug Free Communities Program: $10.4 million

The reason behind student drug testing will be that of prevention and deterrence. Student drug testing will deter those individuals who use drugs and get caught if tested. Prevention will include those who use and are tested positive to go into drug treatment programs or counseling. The consequences for those who are tested positive for drug use can include, "suspension from an athletic activity, until the student has completed counseling." (2004, p 13)

Healing Drug Users
Drug users often times believe they are invincible. They believe that even if they try it once they will not become addicted. This is simply not true. Nearly "20 million Americans are past month, or current users of at least one illegal drug, and seven million Americans need drug treatment." (2004, p 19) Access to Recovery began in 2004. This program "expands access to clinical substance abuse treatment, including recovery support services, while encouraging accountability in the treatment delivery system." (200, p 20) There are three key elements in the Access to Recovery program. The first is flexibility. Individuals will be able to receive treatment regardless of their financial situation. Individuals will also be able to "select the programs and providers that will help them most-including programs run by faith-based organization." (2004, p 20)

The second element involves results. Any institution that is involved with the Access to Recovery program will be asked to create programs that promote "incentives for positive outcomes." (2004, p 20) If individuals complete programs and remain sober the program could provide such opportunities as job placement referrals, help with costs of living expenses and even money incentives. If individuals see that positive outcomes can come from staying sober, the programs may be more successful.

The third element involves the increase of capacity of treatment centers. Access to Recovery would allow approximately "100,000 individuals per year" (p 20) obtain treatment. Although there are oftentimes waiting lists to get into a treatment program, the problem is more so in individuals refusing to admit that they have a problem and need to seek assistance. Society must create a "climate in which Americans confront drug use honestly and directly, offering the compassionate coercion of family, friends and the community, including colleagues in the workplace, to motivate the change that brings recovery."(2004, p 21) This program will request the following budgets:

•Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) - Access to Recovery: up to $100.6 million.
•Office of Justice Programs- Drug Courts Program: up to $32 million
•National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): up to $28.3 million

Individuals have to want help. The programs will be available to those that take advantage of such opportunities.

Attacking the Economics of Drugs
The issue of drug trafficking has been a constant issue within not only our country but surrounding countries. A drug user cant use without drugs. A drug dealer cannot make a living without the drug user. This scenario is a vicious circle. "The main reason supply reduction matters to drug policy are that it makes drugs more expensive, less potent, and less available. (2004, p 31) The areas that need to be focused on in order to gain more control in the attack on drugs economically include agricultural systems, organization hierarchy and financing mechanisms. Drug traffickers are hard to contain. Organizations can "span dozens of states and hundreds of jurisdictions, and investigating them can involve dozens of law enforcement agencies." (2004, p 34) The area of this attack includes several areas. The first area is eradication. Law Enforcement agencies are constantly trying to locate drug fields by use of air and land equipment. Agencies also have toll free phone numbers that tipsters can call to give information on drug fields.

The second area that the President has addressed is attacking the organizations. If the government can eliminate the top dealers in all countries there would be a reduced number of drugs that come into our country. At this time we have the cooperation of Latin America, Mexico and Canada in helping to reduce drug trafficking across boarders. In Columbia, "the remarkable turnaround owes much to President Uribe and his continuing commitment to attack and eliminate all coca cultivation in Columbia." (2004, p 35) This program will request the following budgets:

•DEA- Priority Targeting Initiative: up to $34.7 million
•Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Assistant U.S. Attorney Initiative: up to $9.6 million
•OCDETF Fusion Center Initiative: up to $4.5 million
•Immigration and Customs Enforcement- P-3 Flight Hours: up to $28 million
•Department of State- Andean Counter drug Initiative (ACI): $731 million

Law Enforcement agencies and the Government need to work together in order to cut down on all drug trafficking. Our borders need to become stronger and traffickers need to be more aware of the crack down on their systems.

Involved Agencies
Law Enforcement agencies will be a tremendous assist to the success of these programs. Their involvement will be needed in all three areas of the policy. In helping to keep youth off drugs officers can be on campus and run programs to educate youth on the affects of drugs and the consequences for testing positive. Schools will need to take a proactive approach with their students. If an administrator suspects any student of drug use, it must be reported immediately. This will help in not only the prevention of drug use but with the treatment and counseling aspect. The arrest of drug dealers will be one of the major accomplishments of the program. Again, a drug user cannot use if the drugs are not available to them.

Measuring the success or failure of the programs will be a necessity. If a program is not showing improvements then the program should be reevaluated or eliminated. Statistics need to be gathered in order to show hard facts and figures instead of simple verbal confirmations. Each division will need to be diligent in keeping up- to- date records on their programs. The divisions need to provide the government with these figures in order to gauge how successful the programs are.
I believe this policy can be successful. I believe that any program can be successful if followed through, enforced and monitored. If the community can focus on stopping drug use before it begins with our youth that will cut down on adult drug use in the future. If we provide funding for more officers assigned to drug control programs we can also eliminate future drug users.

Conclusion
As with any policy or program there will be highs and lows. Society needs to work as a whole in order to guarantee the success of this program. Parents need to be more involved with their children, schools need to be more aware of issues youth are having and law enforcement needs to continue to fight the battle on drugs. Drugs may never be completely eliminated from our society, but even the smallest decrease in drug use is a success.

Reference
Walker, S. (2001). Sense and nonsense about crime and drugs. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thompson.

(2004, March). Office of National Drug Policy. Retrieved September 8, 2006, from The President's National Drug Control Stategy Web site: http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/publications/policy/ndcs04/index.htm
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