“Alternatives to Drugs” as a Part of Comprehensive Efforts to Ameliorate the Drug Abuse Problem

Abstract

The author discusses the trend in drug abuse prevention efforts toward promoting alternatives to drug-taking behavior. The alternatives approach is an integral part of comprehensive efforts to deal with the problem. The approaches which are most worthy of attention promote social and psychological health while responding to the wide range of unmet needs and unfulfilled aspirations which underlie drug-taking behavior. Certain current approaches have either negligible or questionable effects or decidedly harmful effects on psychological and social well being and their continued support would be both unwise and impolitic. The author suggests that the same kind of orientation toward psychological and social health which characterizes the most effective and promising alternatives should be reflected in all efforts to intervene at every stage of the drug-taking cycle if such efforts are to have lasting and beneficial results.