Drug policy and the public good

Drug use represents a significant burden to public health through disease, disability and social problems, and policy makers are becoming increasingly interested in how to develop evidence-based drug policy. It is therefore crucial to strengthen the links between addiction science and drug policy.Drug Policy and the Public Good is collaboratively written by an international group of career scientists to provide an analytical basis on which to build relevant global drug policies, and to inform policy makers who have direct responsibility for public health and social welfare. Drug Policy and the Public Good presents, in a comprehensive, practical, and readily accessible form, the accumulated scientific knowledge on illicit drugs that has direct relevance to the development of drug policy on local, national, and international levels. The authors describe the conceptual basis for a rational drug policy and present new epidemiological data on the global dimensions of drug misuse. The core of the book is a critical review of the cumulative scientific evidence in five general areas of drug policy: primary prevention programs in schools and other settings

Part 1 - Introduction. 1. Framing the issues. 2. Matters of substance. Part 2 - Drug epidemiology and drug markets. 3. The international dimensions of drug use. 4. Harms associated with illicit drug use. 5. Illegal markets: the economics of drug distribution and social harm. 6. The legal market: prescription and diversion of psychopharmaceuticals. Part 3 - The Evidence base for drug policy: research on strategies and interventions. 7. Strategies and interventions to reduce drug use and related harm: section overview. 8. Preventing illicit drug use by young people. 9. Health and social services for drug users. 10. Supply control. 11. Criminalization and decriminalization of drug use or possession. 12. Prescription regimes and other measures to control misuse of psychopharmaceuticals. Part 4 - The policy arena. 13. Drug Policy and Control at the International Level. 14. The Variety of National Drug Policies. 15. Health and social services for drug users: systems issues. Part 5 - Synthesis and conclusions. 16. Summary and conclusions. Appendix A.