FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PLANS TO COMBAT
SYNTHETIC DRUG ABUSE

In October, the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), announced a comprehensive strategy for reducing the manufacture, distribution and use of synthetic drugs and prescription drug diversion. This plan is aimed at reducing the abuse of methamphetamine, prescription drugs and club drugs, such as Ecstasy.

This new strategy, called the National Synthetic Drugs Action Plan, was prompted by recent studies which revealed a sharp increase in prescription drug abuse in the last ten years. Since the year 2000, the number of Americans abusing prescription drugs has increased by almost 400%, to 6.3 million. In addition, hospital Emergency Room visits attributed to prescription drug abuse have risen by 163%.

The Action Plan also seeks to reduce the growing problem of methamphetamine abuse in America, by imposing tighter controls over the precursor chemicals necessary for the illicit production of methamphetamine. This will entail international cooperation, as many of the precursor chemicals are smuggled into the country from Mexico and Canada. The ONDCP reports that methamphetamine abuse, once thought to be mainly a problem in Western States, has exploded into the Midwest and is moving toward the East coast. The problem is particularly acute in Missouri, where methamphetamine use is up 300%. Missouri law enforcement officials report that up to one half of all crimes are related to methamphetamine.

The Action Plan calls for greater cooperation among federal, State and local law enforcement agencies and seeks additional resources to assist law enforcement to find and destroy clandestine methamphetamine laboratories.

The ONDCP Action Plan establishes a special Federal Synthetic Drug Working Group to study and discuss recommendations regarding prevention, treatment, regulatory measures and law enforcement.

The ONDCP Action Plan represents an important first step in controlling the abuse of synthetic drugs. The Plan emphasizes the global nature of the problem confronting law enforcement, and highlights the importance of greater cooperation among all levels of law enforcement. The full text of the National Synthetic Drugs Action Plan is available on the ONDCP website at www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov.