Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #106894

David Duncan, DrPH¹, John B. White, PhD², and Thomas Nicholson, PhD². (1) Brown University, 1347 Kentucky St. # 2, Bowling Green, KY 42101, 270-796-6713, david.duncan@accessky.net, (2) Public Health, Western Kentucky University, Western Kentucky University, One Big Red Way, Bowling Green, KY 42101-3576

In arguing against drug policy reform, Robert Dupont has asserted that, "reducing priorities for drug possession and sales reduces the pressure on addicts to stop using drugs." In this view, the "War on Drugs" is a valuable force in support of drug abuse treatment. No direct test of this hypothesis is possible but some relevant evidence may be found by examining the circumstances currently bringing persons into drug abuse treatment. Such an examination of the Treatment Episode Data System – a nation-wide database of patients treated in federally funded programs – suggests that coercion by the criminal justice system does account for a large proportion of treatment admissions. Further examination, however, suggests that these patients tend to have less severe addiction problems, or no addiction at all, than do patients without criminal justice system involvement. It also appears that they are not being brought into treatment sooner as a result of the law. The results suggest that the War on Drugs is causing a major misdirection and waste of treatment resources, rather than being a valued support to the treatment system.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to
• Discuss the impact of criminal justice system coercion on numbers of admissions to drug abuse treatment facilities.
• Assess the impact of criminal justice system coercion on the drug abuse treatment system.

Keywords: Drug Abuse Treatment, Public Health Policy

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.