Obama's Drug Policy

After repeated delay, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy released its first National Drug Control Strategy earlier this week. In a May 14 article in The New Republic, UChicago professor and substance-abuse expert Harold Pollack (who also happens to be Stephen Hawking's dopplegänger) dissects Obama's drug strategy, weighing in on its pros and cons.

What did the Obama administration overlook? Pollack states that the strategy is too focused on fighting drug suppliers, which really won't go anywhere. Pollack argues that money would be better spent in prevention programs, which could actually yield results. Pollack also says that the Obama administration should have focused on other addictive substances, such as alcohol and tobacco, as these "continue to undermine public health" (is he suggesting prohibition-type legislation?)

So what's the Obama administration doing differently? What is it doing right? Pollack argues that both the evolved attitude towards drugs and the focus of the strategy are huge improvements. Obama's strategy, while still focusing on the prevention of simple drug use, will focus more on the prevention of "more explicitly harmful consequences: deaths, illness, and injuries associated with drug use." Obama's strategy also focuses on "[integrating] addiction services with general medical care," and will provide financing for addiction treatment. Additionally, Obama's policy will deal "more diplomatically and effectively" with drugs abroad (including Central and South American countries).