Types of Drugs

1
The Empirical Realities of theDrug War Does it
Work?Is it Good Policy?
a Dr. Matt presentation
CJ 3525 Injustice in America
2
Drug war goals

• From 2000 .
• Educate and enable America's youth to reject
  illegal drugs as well as alcohol and tobacco
  (reduce drug use).
• Increase the safety of America's citizens by
  substantially reducing drug-related crime and
  violence (reduce crime).
• Reduce health and social costs to the public of
  illegal drug use (reduce harm).
• Shield America's air, land, and sea frontiers
  from the drug threat (reduce supply).
• Break foreign and domestic drug sources of supply
  (reduce supply).

3
Drug war goals

• From 2008 .
• Stopping use before it starts Education and
  community action (reduce drug use).
• Healing Americas drug users (treatment).
• Disrupting the market (reduce supply).

4
Key questions then

• Is drug use DOWN?
• Is crime DOWN?
• Are health and social costs DOWN?
• Are drug users HEALTHY?
• Is treatment AVAILABLE?
• Are drugs LESS AVAILABLE?
• If answer to questions is YES, drug war is
  meeting its goals If answer is NO, drug war is
  NOT meeting its goals.
• BUT FIRST what about those SHIFTING goals?

5
Drug War Goals

• 1998
• Educate and enable Americas youth to reject
  illegal drugs as well as alcohol and tobacco
• 2) Increase safety of Americas citizens by
  substantially reducing drugrelated crime and
  violence
• 3) Reduce health and social costs to the public
  of illegal drug use
• 4) Shield Americas air, land, and sea frontiers
  from the drug threat
• 5) Break foreign and domestic sources of supply

• 2008
• 1) Stopping Use Before It Starts Education and
  Community Action
• 2) Healing Americas Drug Users Getting
  Treatment Resources Where They Are Needed
• 3) Disrupting the Market Attacking the Economic
  Basis of the Drug Trade

Removed
Added
6
Back to the key questions

• Is drug use DOWN?

7
We have achieved an important goal of getting
drug use by our young people moving downward. We
now must secure the equally important objective
of sustaining, accelerating, and broadening that
downward movement.
9/30/2009
ONDCP 2003 National Drug Control Strategy, p. 2
8
In his 2002 State of the Union address, the
President set a national goal of reducing youth
drug use by 10 percent within two years. It was
an ambitious goal, and to many it seemed
improbable in light of the string of serial
increases that preceded it. Yet that goal has
been met.
9/30/2009
ONDCP 2004 National Drug Control Strategy, p. 1
9
Use of the rave drug MDMA (Ecstasy) has been
cut in half use of Ecstasy among youth has
plummeted.
ONDCP 2004 National Drug Control Strategy, pp.
1, 3
9/30/2009
10
The Presidents goala 10 percent reduction in
youth drug use over two yearshas been met and
exceeded. Youth drug use has dropped by 11
percent over two years, and now a third year of
data puts the program ahead of schedule for the
five-year goal, with a three-year drop of 17
percent.
9/30/2009
ONDCP 2005 National Drug Control Strategy, p. 1
11
9/30/2009
ONDCP 2006 National Drug Control Strategy, p. 1
12
ONDCP 2006 National Drug Control Strategy, p. 1
13
ONDCP 2006 National Drug Control Strategy, p. 1
14
ONDCP 2006 National Drug Control Strategy, p. 2
15
ONDCP 2007 National Drug Control Strategy, p. 2
16
9/30/2009
ONDCP 2007 National Drug Control Strategy, p. 1
17
ONDCP 2007 National Drug Control Strategy, p. 3
18
ONDCP 2008 National Drug Control Strategy
19
9/30/2009
ONDCP 2008 National Drug Control Strategy
20
Youth Drug Use Declining? (1991-2006)
using
Current (Past Month) Drug Use, 12th Graders
(MTF)
Source of data Monitoring the Future (2006).
Table 3. Trends in 30-Day Prevalence of Use of
Various Drugs for Eighth, Tenth, and Twelfth
Graders. http//monitoringthefuture.org/data/06dat
a/pr06t3.pdf
21
Youth Drug Use Declining? (Bush Admin.)
using
Current (Past Month) Drug Use, 12th Graders
(MTF)
Source of data Monitoring the Future (2006).
Table 3. Trends in 30-Day Prevalence of Use of
Various Drugs for Eighth, Tenth, and Twelfth
Graders. http//monitoringthefuture.org/data/06dat
a/pr06t3.pdf
22
Youth Drug Use Declining?(reported in ONDCP's
Strategy)
Current (Past Month) Drug Use, 12th Graders
(MTF)
using
Source of data Monitoring the Future (2006).
Table 3. Trends in 30-Day Prevalence of Use of
Various Drugs for Eighth, Tenth, and Twelfth
Graders. http//monitoringthefuture.org/data/06dat
a/pr06t3.pdf
23
Youth Drug Use Declining?(NOT reported in
ONDCP's Strategy)
Current (Past Month) Drug Use, 12th Graders
(MTF)
using
Source of data Monitoring the Future (2006).
Table 3. Trends in 30-Day Prevalence of Use of
Various Drugs for Eighth, Tenth, and Twelfth
Graders. http//monitoringthefuture.org/data/06dat
a/pr06t3.pdf
24
Youth Drug Use Declining?(drug by drug)
using
Current (Past Month) Drug Use, 12th Graders
(MTF)
Source of data Monitoring the Future (2006).
Table 3. Trends in 30-Day Prevalence of Use of
Various Drugs for Eighth, Tenth, and Twelfth
Graders. http//monitoringthefuture.org/data/06dat
a/pr06t3.pdf
25
Youth Drug Use Declining?(drug by drug)
using
Current (Past Month) Drug Use, 12th Graders
(MTF)
Source of data Monitoring the Future (2006).
Table 3. Trends in 30-Day Prevalence of Use of
Various Drugs for Eighth, Tenth, and Twelfth
Graders. http//monitoringthefuture.org/data/06dat
a/pr06t3.pdf
26
Youth Drug Use Declining? (drug by drug)
using
Current (Past Month) Drug Use, 12th Graders
(MTF)
Source of data Monitoring the Future (2006).
Table 3. Trends in 30-Day Prevalence of Use of
Various Drugs for Eighth, Tenth, and Twelfth
Graders. http//monitoringthefuture.org/data/06dat
a/pr06t3.pdf
27
Youth Drug Use Declining? (drug by drug)
using
Current (Past Month) Drug Use, 12th Graders
(MTF)
Source of data Monitoring the Future (2006).
Table 3. Trends in 30-Day Prevalence of Use of
Various Drugs for Eighth, Tenth, and Twelfth
Graders. http//monitoringthefuture.org/data/06dat
a/pr06t3.pdf
28
Youth Drug Use Declining? (drug by drug)
using
Current (Past Month) Drug Use, 12th Graders
(MTF)
Source of data Monitoring the Future (2006).
Table 3. Trends in 30-Day Prevalence of Use of
Various Drugs for Eighth, Tenth, and Twelfth
Graders. http//monitoringthefuture.org/data/06dat
a/pr06t3.pdf
29
Youth Drug Use Declining? (drug by drug)
using
Current (Past Month) Drug Use, 12th Graders
(MTF)
Source of data Monitoring the Future (2006).
Table 3. Trends in 30-Day Prevalence of Use of
Various Drugs for Eighth, Tenth, and Twelfth
Graders. http//monitoringthefuture.org/data/06dat
a/pr06t3.pdf
30
Youth Drug Use Declining? (drug by drug)
using
Current (Past Month) Drug Use, 12th Graders
(MTF)
Source of data Monitoring the Future (2006).
Table 3. Trends in 30-Day Prevalence of Use of
Various Drugs for Eighth, Tenth, and Twelfth
Graders. http//monitoringthefuture.org/data/06dat
a/pr06t3.pdf
31
Questions?

• Are there trends consistent with reducing drug
  use among youth?
• Is ONDCP meeting its goal to reduce drug use
  among youth?
• -- OR Are trends more consistent with drug
  substitution? (switching from one drug to
  another)

32
Ecstasy
LSD
AN EXAMPLE OF DRUG SUBSTITUTION???
Sedatives
Tranquilizers
Narcotics
33
What about ADULTS???

• Bill Clinton stated goal in 1998 to reduce demand
  for drugs 50 by 2007
• George Bush stated goal in 2003 to reduce drug
  use among ADULTS by 10 and 25 over two- and
  five-years

34
Any Drug Use (NSDUH)
ONDCP
Percent
50 reduction by 2007
35
Conclusion

• Drug war does not significantly or consistently
  reduce drug use
• ONDCP selectively presents data to suggest that
  the drug war is effective (focus on short term,
  ignore long term)
• Examination of all available data sources shows
  otherwise

36
... the data on the prevalence of drug use shows
the steep reductions in use that followed the
national mobilization started in 1985 by Nancy
Reagans Just Say No campaign. Like smoking and
other social pathologies, drug use is a problem
that responds to societal pressure when we push
against this problem, it gets smaller .
ONDCP 2003 National Drug Control Strategy, p. 10
37
ONDCP 2006 National Drug Control Strategy, p. 5
38
9/30/2009
39
Back to the key questions

• Is crime DOWN?

40
Is crime down?
41
Is crime down?
42
Is crime down?
43
Is crime down?

• Yes, but is it due to the drug war?

44
Why did crime really go down?

• Economic improvement in 1990s
• Demographic shifts (aging population)
• Massive expanse of criminal justice (more prison,
  more police)
• Legalized abortion in 1973!
• Stabilization of crack cocaine market (evolution)

45
Conclusion

• ONDCP implies crime declines are drug to drug war
• In fact, drug war had almost nothing to do with it

46
Back to the key questions

• Are health and social costs DOWN?

47
Spending on Drug War
48
Removing Costs fromthe Equation
The Economic Costs of Drug Abuse in the United
States, p. viii
49
Spending on Drug War
50
Spending on Drug War
51
Conclusion

• Costs of drug war are enormous and growing
  (social costs are UP not down)

52
Back to the key questions

• Are drug users HEALTHY?

53
Drug Induced Deaths
ONDCP
Source Created from Sourcebook data (2004)
54
Drug Induced Deaths
55
Emergency RoomEpisodes / Mentions
ONDCP
Source Created from Sourcebook data (2004)
56
Conclusion

• Costs of drug war are enormous and growing
  (health costs are UP not down)

57
Back to the key questions

• Is treatment AVAILABLE?

58
Treatment Need and Received
Source Created from ONDCP data (2000-2004
Strategy reports)
9/30/2009
59
Treatment Datafrom ONDCP Show

• 2002 18.6 in need of treatment received it
• 2003 16.6 in need of treatment received it
• 2004 14.3 in need of treatment received it

60
Conclusion

• ONDCP admits drug war does not heal drug users
  (provide drug treatment to those in need)
• ONDCP blames users for being in denial

61
Back to the key questions

• Are drugs LESS AVAILABLE?

62
ONDCP Promotes a Theory

• Like every other business, the supply of and
  demand for illegal drugs exist in equilibrium
  there is a price beyond which customers,
  particularly young people, will not pay for
  drugs. It follows that, when supplies are
  disrupted, prices go up, or drug supplies become
  erratic. Prices rising too much can precipitate a
  crisis for the individual user, encouraging an
  attempt at drug treatment. Use, in turn, goes
  down.

MEASURABLE!!!
ONDCP 2005 National Drug Control Strategy, p. 39
63
ONDCP Says Drug Prices are Stable
64
ONDCP Says Drug Prices are Constant
65
What Happened to These Data?

• Beginning in 2002 these data are no longer
  reported by ONDCP in the National Drug Control
  Strategy
• Why???

66
(No Transcript)
67
(No Transcript)
68
Other Data Sources

• ONDCPs Pulse Check
• ONDCPs web site The Price and Purity of
  Illicit Drugs
• DEAs Illegal Drug Price and Purity Report
• NDICs National Drug Threat Assessment

69
ONDCP 2005 National Drug Control Strategy, p. 6
70
ONDCP 2005 National Drug Control Strategy, p. 7
71
Availability (12th graders)
Percent Saying Fairly Easy or Very Easy to
Obtain
Source Created from MTF data (2006)
72
ONDCP 2008 National Drug Control Strategy
73
ONDCP 2008 National Drug Control Strategy
74
Conclusion

• ONDCPs theory of market disruption is NOT
  supported with data
• ONDCP selectively presents data in support of its
  theory of market disruption
• Drug prices are NOT UP, PURITY is NOT DOWN,
  availability is NOT DOWN, use is NOT DOWN
• ONDCP does not focus on these data

75
Key Findings

• Data suggest ONDCP is meeting NONE of its three
  drug war goals
• Drug use not down
• Need for treatment up
• Deaths and emergency room mentions up
• Health and social costs up
• Drugs widely available
• Prices down/unchanged
• Purity up/unchanged
• ONDCP wants to achieve consistent changes in data
  toward meeting goals (but is not seeing it)