Major Federal and State Narcotics Programs and Legislation

Abstract

New approaches to and programs for the treatment of drug addiction are being developed; changes in state and federal drug laws are rapid and are accompanied by bursts of confusion that signal both public acceptance and fear.

Basic punitive attitudes toward drug addiction and the drug addict are being reviewed. The question of crime vs. disease is obsolete; addiction must be evaluated as a process rather than as a singular problem. A series of alternative solutions must be generated to deal with the process effectively. New legal struc tures and programs must be designed to deal with the addict in his environment rather than in traditional correctional and hos pital settings.

The significant issue is public vs. private care and its effec tiveness. A certain amount of control in treating the addict is necessary, whether this be legal or social; however, only that amount of control necessary to provide stability should be sought. Public programs are a necessity and, for the present, will most likely meet the major need. Private resources must be encouraged and developed and not stifled by the state agency. A full spectrum of services must be supported. The major public programs that have been developed throughout the United States are in keeping with the trends mentioned, in both a legal and a program framework. Of major interest are the federal program of 1966 and the state programs in New York, Califor nia, New Jersey, and Illinois.