Carl Olson

The RAND Corporation Occasional Paper

This occasional paper assesses the success and challenges of the U.S. 'War on Drugs' policy, analyzing its historical effectiveness, reasons for limited success, and unintended consequences. It examines the balance of enforcement, treatment, and prevention strategies, explores the dynamics of drug use epidemics, and discusses potential future evolutions in drug problems and policy. The paper suggests principles for a more effective and dispassionate policy approach, including long-term management and integrated use of all policy levers.