3 Review(s)

As the first director of National Drug Control Policy is appointed to the federal cabinet, this timely Handbook surveys the U.S. government's efforts to control illegal drugs. In his valuable contribution toward effectively dealing with this problem, Inciardi successfully avoids the traps that have misled so many in the past, such as devising a single prefabricated solution and waging yet another war on drugs. Instead, he offers a useful way of thinking about the problem, which, while not a solution in itself, provides the tools necessary to develop a realistic and effective national drug policy. Among these is a better understanding of the drug problem, which is supported by including the history and evolution of drug abuse and drug control in the United States, surveys of supply-reduction and demand-reduction strategies, and a discussion of the drug-control controversies before us today. Inciardi then takes a look to the future direction of drug control by recognizing the single most effective resource we have in the struggle to overcome the scourge of illegal drugs and the crime they spawn--the will of the American people. The Handbook is divided into three parts, and includes appendices and exhaustive indices. The Introduction and Part One consist of four articles that chronicle the history of the drug problem in the United States, the roots of the current policy effort, and the emergence of drug abuse treatment as a means of demand reduction. This is followed by a focused examination of the links between drug use and crime. Part Two then offers detailed accounts of contemporary efforts to reduce the supply and demand of illegal substances, including prevention, intervention, treatment, and foreign policy considerations. Part Three targets problematic sectors and controversies in contemporary drug control efforts such as foreign policy implications, drug testing, the AIDS/intravenous drug use connection, and the debate over the legalization of drugs. A series of background papers focuses on drug scheduling, drug paraphernalia laws, and extradition, plus a summary of the 1989 National Drug Control Strategy released by the White House. The name and subject indices further enhance the value of this volume as a reference resource.