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"Treatment is more effective than law enforcement" appeared in The New Republic in 1999. The ad summarizes research conducted by the respected RAND Drug Policy Research Center.

The RAND Corporation finds that
drug treatment is more effective and
far less costly than longer sentences
or conventional enforcement!

The graph at right illustrates that
treating heavy cocaine users could
reduce consumption by 103
kilograms per extra million dollars.
Cocaine consumption prevented
Additional treatment is 4
times more effective than
adding law enforcement
and 8 times more effective
than increasing sentences
in reducing cocaine use.

Source: Throwing Away the Key or the Taxpayers' Money?
(1997), RAND Corp
Cost of reducing consumption The graph compares the cost of
reducing cocaine consumption by 1%
nationally with 4 different strategies.

Because it actually reduces the
demand for cocaine and the societal
costs of drug use without requiring
massive prison spending:

Added drug treatment
is 15 times more effective
than law enforcement at
reducing the societal
costs of cocaine use.

Source: Controlling Cocaine: Supply Vs. Demand Programs.
(1994), RAND Corp.

Why aren't we investing in drug control
strategies that really work?

GET THE FACTS! www.DrugSense.org

Paid for by Common Sense for Drug Policy Foundation, Kevin B. Zeese President
703-354-5694, 703-354-5695 (fax), info@csdp.org