FORMULATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF CONTROL POLICY (FROM PROBLEMS OF DRUG ABUSE IN BRITAIN, 1978, BY D J WEST NCJ-48378)

• NCJ Number: 48389
• Author(s): G I DE DENEY
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 31 pages
• Corporate Author: University of Cambridge
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

CURRENT GOVERNMENT POLICY AND CONTROL MACHINERY FOR DRUG MISUSE ARE DESCRIBED AND ANALYZED, FOLLOWED BY ILLUSTRATIONS OF SOME OF THE PROBLEMS INVOLVED IN EXISTING REGULATORY PRACTICES.

Abstract

GOVERNMENT REGULATION OF DRUG CONSUMPTION IS BASED IN THE BELIEF THAT GOVERNMENT MUST ACT TO PROTECT ITS CITIZENRY FROM DANGERS TO PERSONAL HEALTH AND POSITIVE SOCIAL FUNCTIONING. THIS IS A PROBLEMATIC CONCERN IN REGARD TO THE REGULATION OF THE NONTHERAPEUTIC USE OF DRUGS, BECAUSE THE DRUGS INVOLVED AFFECT PEOPLE WITH VARYING DEGREES OF GRAVITY. THE GRAVITY OF EFFECTS VARIES, NOT ONLY BETWEEN SUBSTANCES, BUT IN RELATION TO THE QUANTITY OF A SUBSTANCE CONSUMED, ITS INTERACTION WITH THE BIOLOGICAL SYSTEM OF A PARTICULAR PERSON, AND THE PRESENCE OR ABSENCE OF OTHER CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF INTAKE. IN ADDITION, ASSESSMENTS OF THE SCALE OF DAMAGE CAUSED BY A PARTICULAR DRUG ARE LARGELY SUBJECTIVE AND RELATED TO THE MOST POPULAR OPINION HELD AT THE TIME LEGISLATION IS ENACTED. GOVERNMENT CONTROL IS ACKNOWLEDGED TO PAY LITTLE ATTENTION TO THE VARIETY AND GRADATION OF EFFECTS A CONTROLLED DRUG HAS ON THOSE WHO USE IT, CHOOSING TO FOCUS ON WHAT IS JUDGED TO BE ITS PRIMARY EFFECT WHEN USED NONTHERAPEUTICALLY. CONTROL PROBLEMS ARE INTENSIFIED WHEN A DRUG HAS BOTH BENEFICIAL AND HARMFUL EFFECTS, WITH ITS BENEFICIAL EFFECTS QUALIFYING IT FOR THERAPEUTIC USE. THE SPECIFIC PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FORMULATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF DRUG CONTROLS ARE ILLUSTRATED WITH REFERENCE TO THE USE OF BARBITURATES, CANNABIS, AND HEROIN. THE DISCUSSION IN RELATION TO BARBITURATES DESCRIBES CONTROL PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH A FAMILY OF DRUGS, NOT AT PRESENT CONTROLLED, HAVING SUBSTANTIAL THERAPEUTIC USE, BUT ALSO CAPABLE OF CONSIDERABLE MISUSE. PROBLEMS RELATED TO THE REGULATION OF CANNABIS HAVE TO DO WITH A CONTROLLED DRUG WHICH HAS NEGLIGIBLE THERAPEUTIC QUALITIES, IS IN GREAT DEMAND, AND CANNOT BE SHOWN, AT LEAST IN RELATION TO ITS WEAKER FORMS, TO CAUSE SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. PROBLEMS INVOLVED IN THE CONTROL OF HEROIN ARE DISCUSSED AS THEY RELATE TO THE GOVERNMENT'S ATTEMPT TO PROVIDE A CONTROLLED LEGITIMATE SUPPLY OF THE NARCOTIC TO ADDICTS FOR THE DUAL PURPOSES OF COMBATING THE ILLEGAL MARKET AND ENABLING ADDICTS TO FUNCTION UNDER LIMITED AMOUNTS OF THE DRUG. AN APPENDIX PROVIDES STATISTICS ON PERSONS PROCESSED FOR DRUG OFFENSES BY TYPE OF OFFENSE AND OUTCOME. (RCB)