March 9, 2010 Drug-Impaired Driving Due to Prescription Drug Use   Stephen K. Talpins, Chief Executive Officer of the National Partnership on Alcohol Misuse and Crime (NPAMC) and IBH President Robert L. DuPont, M.D., discuss the problem of drug-impaired driving due to prescription drug use in a new IBH commentary. Authors also offer suggestions for how to reduce this ongoing public health and safety problem with a combination of education and law enforcement. Read more.

March 8, 2010 Encouraging Words from ONDCP Director at United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs   R. Gil Kerlikowske, Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, delivered an encouraging opening statement to the 53rd United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs. Among the priorities discussed were drugged driving, prescription drug abuse, and expanding programs within the U.S. criminal justice system to reduce drug use and incarceration. All of these issues reflect IBH priorities. Read more.

March 8, 2010 Active U.S. Military Personnel Report a Dramatic Increase in the Nonmedical Use of Prescription Drugs   In its latest issue of the ONDCP Update, the Office of National Drug Control Policy highlights new data released from the Department of Defense Survey of Health Related Behaviors Among Active Duty Military Personnel. These new data show that the current rate of illegal drug use in the military has increased to nearly 12% in 2008. However, the use of purely illegal drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, and heroin among military personnel has not changed. The increase in the overall drug use rate is due to a significant increase in the nonmedical use of prescription drugs, with 11% of active-duty military personnel self-reporting past month use. This percentage has tripled in just three years since the last survey conducted in 2005. One of the primary priorities of U.S. drug policy in the 21st century is to reduce non-medical use of prescribed controlled substances. These new military data signal the urgency of this objective. Read more.

February 23, 2010 U.N. International Narcotics Control Board Warns of Prescription Drug Abuse   Reuters reports that according to the United Nations International Narcotics Control Board, globally more people abuse prescription drugs than heroin, cocaine and ecstasy combined. In its recently released annual report, the INCB explores the extent of this growing international drug problem which has already reached dangerous proportions in the United States. IBH agrees with the INCP President, Sevil Atasoy, that "preventing drug abuse is a crucial area of demand reduction." Read more. Read full report.

February 23, 2010 To Test or Not to Test? Drug Testing Teachers: The View of the Superintendent.   In response to court decisions that permit pre-employment and suspicionless drug testing of teachers, this study surveyed school superintendents to learn if they were implementing drug-testing policies. While most superintendents believed that they have the authority to implement teacher drug testing, most were not implementing such policies. Most superintendents believed that the drug problem among teachers was not large enough to warrant action, but many reserved the right to revisit the implementation of such policies if the circumstances in their school district changed. Read more.

February 23, 2010 The Connection Between Substance Use and High School Dropout Rates   This new IBH commentary explores the impact of alcohol and drug use on academic achievement. Pre-adolescence and adolescence are high-risk years for alcohol and drug abuse. Early initiation of alcohol and drug use is associated with more problem-generating behavior and more sustained use. It is also a primary risk factor for dropping out of school. While the dropout rate in the United States continues to make headline news, the connection between alcohol and drug use and dropping out is being ignored, not only by the media but by virtually all of the experts who study -- and lament -- the nation's high dropout rate. Our nation must act far more effectively to reduce teenage alcohol and drug use to improve the nation's competitive position in the global economy and to save and improve the lives of our youth. Read more.

February 11, 2010 Medical Marijuana Laws Hurt Teens   Dr. Christian Thurstone, a psychiatrist specializing in adolescent substance abuse, explains how the medical marijuana laws of Colorado are hurting teens in an interview with NPR. Since the state passed medical marijuana legislation, Dr. Thurstone has seen significant increases in marijuana-based referrals to his adolescent substance abuse treatment program in Denver. Medical marijuana legislation is a backdoor route to legalization that has serious implications for users. Read more.

February 10, 2010 Keep the Drug Czar   Deforest Rathbone, Chairman of the National Institute of Citizen Anti-drug Policy, confronts Timothy Lynch's proposal to eliminate the office of the drug czar known as the Office of National Drug Control Policy. In Rathbone's letter to the editor, he explains the important role the drug czar has played in U.S. drug policy to reduce illegal drug use and improve public health Read more.

February 9, 2010 The Implications of Baby Boomers' Drug Use   AOL News reports that rates of marijuana use and the non-medical use of prescription drugs are increasing among older populations, with nearly 5% of Americans over age 50 reporting past month use. This drug use not only has implications for increased health complications for this aging generation, but also has serious implications for future drug treatment needs. Read more.

February 4, 2010 IBH President Discusses Drug Testing in Clinical Settings   An article by IBH President Robert L. DuPont, M.D. on drug testing in clinical settings is featured in the Journal of Global Drug Policy and Practice. Drug testing, the pinnacle of modern biotechnology, has evolved beyond urine testing to include testing in hair, saliva, and sweat and has moved out of the laboratory to include on-site testing with results available in a few minutes. Alcohol and drug abusers characteristically lie about their substance use to anyone who might want them to stop their use. Drug testing is now highly reliable in detecting the recent use of specific drugs as well as alcohol, thereby greatly enhancing substance abuse treatment and prevention. Drug testing is also useful in schools and in family-based efforts to prevent drug use. The biology of substance abuse as well as the technology of testing needs to be understood by anyone seeking to use testing to detect the recent use of addicting substances. Read more.

February 4, 2010 New Study Shows Tough Laws and Treatment are Top Deterrents Against DUI Offenders   A University of Montana study that targeted repeat DUI offenders shows that tougher laws and chemical dependency treatment are the strongest deterrents to chronic drunken driving. In Montana where a DUI becomes a felony after the fourth offense, felony DUI offenders say that penalties for initial DUIs are not tough enough. Read more. Read the full report.

January 25, 2010 UNODC Executive Director underlines need for a multilateral approach to international drug control   Antonio Maria Costa, Executive Director of United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, recently addressed the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs. Asking that the international drug control regime be updated for the 21st century, he reported the many drug control accomplishments and stated the need for a multilateral approach with a stronger focus on health. Read more. Read Costa's remarks in full.

January 23, 2010 Medical Marijuana is Not Medicine   IBH President Robert L. DuPont, M.D. submitted a letter to the editor in response to the Wall Street Journal article, Is Marijuana A Medicine? (January 18, 2010) and corresponding graphic. To characterize smoked marijuana as a medicine implies that it is safe. Smoke is neither safe nor effective as a delivery system for any medicine. Marijuana use is the major cause of substance abuse and dependence and the leading reason for admission to substance abuse treatment in the United States. The Food and Drug Administration regulates and approves medicines as safe and effective. It is not compassionate to remove this protection from seriously ill patients. Read more.

January 22, 2010 Addressing Medical Marijuana in the News   The issue of medical marijuana has flooded the news when New Jersey became the 14th state to permit marijuana use for "medical" purposes. However, marijuana remains a Schedule I, illegal drug of abuse. The Institute for Behavior and Health does not support marijuana use for any purpose. Both the Office of National Drug Control Policy and Drug Enforcement Administration do not support marijuana use or medical marijuana. Read the ONDCP fact sheet and DEA fact sheet. Legislation that allows the use of medical marijuana is a thinly disguised way to legalize the use of smoked marijuana by virtually anyone of any age. Smoked marijuana is not a medicine. In October 2009 ONDCP Director Gil Kerlikowske clearly stated that the legalization of marijuana is a "non-starter." Read more.

January 20, 2010 Office of National Drug Control Policy Update on National Strategy   The new ONDCP Update reports that the 2010 National Drug Control Strategy will call for curbing drug abuse through community-based prevention, science-based treatment, addiction-recovery programs, law enforcement efforts, and other means to reduce drug availability. The Update emphasizes the importance of recovery and addressing the problem of drugged driving. Read more.

January 18, 2010 U.S. High School Seniors' Perception of Harm from Regular Marijuana Use Decreasing   The University of Maryland's CESAR Fax reports that 52% of high school seniors thought that there was a great risk of harm from smoking marijuana regularly, down from 58% in 2006. Previous data show that as perceived risk decreases, use increases, illustrating the importance of presenting realistic information about the risks and consequences of marijuana use to youth. Read more.

January 13, 2010 New Senate Bill Aims to Reduce Drug Use Among Unemployed   Senator David Thomas of South Carolina has proposed a new bill that will require any person receiving unemployment benefits to submit to a drug test. Current illegal drug users receiving benefits will be required to attend and complete treatment before benefits are restored. They must also abstain from use, demonstrated through passing follow-up random drug tests. IBH supports this bill which addresses drug use among this at-risk population. Helping unemployed persons become and stay drug-free will improve both their lives and their future prospects for employment. Read more.

January 10, 2010 Spotlight on HOPE Probation   Jeffrey Rosen discusses how programs focused on deterrence like Hawaii's Opportunity for Probation with Enforcement (HOPE) reduce crime and may have the ability to transform the criminal justice system. Leaders in both public policy and criminal justice are changing the way people think about parole, probation, gang violence and drug markets. Read more.

January 8, 2010 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Releases State-by-State Analysis of Laws Dealing With Driving Under the Influence of Drugs   This study by reviewed each State statute regarding drug-impaired driving as of December 2008. There is a high degree of variability across the States in the ways they approach drug-impaired driving. Current laws in many States contain provisions making it difficult to identify, prosecute, or convict drug-impaired drivers. Read more.

December 30, 2009 IBH Addresses the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 2010-2015 Long Range Strategic Planning   IBH President Robert L. DuPont, M.D. along with Barry K. Logan, Ph.D., Stephen K. Talpins, J.D., and J. Michael Walsh, Ph.D. responded to NHTSA's request for comment to its long range strategic plans related to drugged driving. These experts describe their recommendations for drugged driving efforts related to public education, enforcement, drug testing, prosecution, courtroom testimony, laws, sentencing, research, and future-based technology Read more.

December 20, 2009 Teens Smoking More Pot, Less Tobacco   The Washington Times reports rates of marijuana use have recently increased, with more youth smoking marijuana than tobacco. Read more. President of Drug-Free Kids: America's Challenge Joyce Nalepka published a letter in response to the article, entitled The Pot Thickens which features a quote from IBH President Robert L. DuPont, M.D. Read more.

December 17, 2009 Marijuana Use Up, Perception of Risk of Marijuana Use Down Among American Youth   Self-reported rates of youth drug use have recently demonstrated two notable, opposing trends. Within the last two years youth marijuana use has increased while use of other illegal drugs has decreased or remained stagnant. Underlying the recent rise in use is a fall in the perception of risk from marijuana use and rise in perception of risk from other illegal drugs. The glaring disparity between the trends in perception of risk of marijuana use and of using other illegal drugs with age reflects the favorable mainstream media coverage of drug policy "reformists" who advocate for medical marijuana and marijuana legalization. Simply put, these movements are based on the false premise that marijuana is different from other drugs of abuse. Read more.

December 14, 2009 New, Bipartisan Efforts to Address the Criminal Justice System   The Hill discusses bipartisan approaches to address problems within the U.S. criminal justice system including high rates of drug-related crime and recidivism. A new, bipartisan bill asks for a national effort to replicate the impressive results of HOPE Probation. Read more.

December 13, 2009 Prisons of Our Own Making: The Need for Reform in the Criminal Justice System   This New York Times op-ed discusses the problems of sentencing within the U.S. criminal justice system, highlighting the work of Mark Kleiman, Ph.D. He takes a new approach to fighting crime, advocating for programs that utilize immediate, short-term consequences for violations of parole and probation. Read more. Programs like HOPE Probation and 24/7 Sobriety utilize these strategies to reduce drug-related crime. Read more.

December 8, 2009 The Future of Drug Policy in the United States   Drug policy discussions often start with the question, "Do you favor jail or treatment?" as if the future of drug policy rests on the answer. This is a false dichotomy. The future of drug policy is not a choice between the criminal justice system and substance abuse treatment. A better policy will be created by identifying new ways to reduce the demand for illegal drugs including more cost-effective ways for the criminal justice system to reduce crime and incarceration Read more.

December 4, 2009 Presidential Proclamation Announces December as National Impaired Driving Prevention Month   In a recent proclamation announcing December, 2009 as the National Impaired Driving Prevention Month, President Barack Obama recognizes the growing problem of drugged driving. Addressing impaired driving, due to drugs and/or alcohol, is a drug policy priority of the Obama Administration. Read more.

December 4, 2009 The Impact of Drug Use on Child Abuse and Neglect   The high rate of substance abuse in child neglect and abuse cases highlights the importance of reducing illegal drug use and alcohol abuse in the United States.  Protecting children is a priority for the U.S. and reducing substance abuse is one key way to make a positive impact on this at-risk population.  The price that is paid by these abused children and society as a whole, including taxpayers, is cause for action. Read more.

November 22, 2009 Cracking Down on Drunken Driving in New York State   New York State recently passed a new law to address drunk driving, making it a felony to drive while intoxicated with a child in the vehicle and mandating the use of ignition interlock devices for convicted drunk drivers. IBH supports efforts to reduce drunk driving but encourages states like New York to not overlook the issue of drugged driving. Inspired by recent alcohol and drug-related fatal car crashes, new policies and laws need to include drug use in their definitions of intoxication and prosecute drugged drivers along with drunk drivers. Read more.

November 19, 2009 High Rates of Drugged Driving: Implications for Legalizing Marijuana   The California Assembly Committee on Public Safety held a meeting on October 28, 2009 which focused on public safety issues related to legalizing marijuana. A press conference was held immediately prior to this meeting, at which a press release issued by the Institute for Behavior and Health, Inc. was read. IBH does not support the legalization of marijuana. The high rate of drugged driving in the U.S. is just one of the many reasons why legalizing marijuana would threaten public safety. Read more.

November 9, 2009 New HOPE Legislation Aims to Reduce Drug Use, Recidivism   Congressmen Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Ted Poe (R-TX) introduced legislation that will create a new program to fight drug use and crime. Entitled the Honest Opportunity Probation with Enforcement (HOPE) Initiative Act and based the innovative HOPE program of Hawaii, IBH supports this new piece of legislation. Read the press release printed in the American Chronicle and the letter of support IBH President Robert L. DuPont, MD sent to Congressman Schiff.

October 23, 2009 Reflections on Random Student Drug Testing Supreme Court Case: Both Support and Criticisms Remain   When random student drug testing (RSDT) programs were just beginning to have a presence in public schools in the United States, the town of Tecumseh in Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma made history opening the door for students invovled in extracurricular activities to participate in these programs. Tecumseh looks back on the local court case against the testing program which ingnited the landmark Supreme Court case. Read more.

October 19, 2009 California Police Chief Stands Up Against Legalization   California is capturing national media coverage as the state debates legalizing, regulating and taxing marijuana. Legislation on this relies on a dubious study which suggests potential revenue gains but neglects to identify societal costs associated with legal marijuana. In a response to a supportive article in the Sacramento Bee, Police Chief Scott C. Kirkland addresses what the study neglected. IBH is convinced that the costs of such a move to legalize marijuana or any other currently illegal drug vastly outweigh any potential benefits. No state can afford to legalize marijuana -- or any other dangerous illicit drug. The social costs -- and financial costs -- would be astounding. Read more.

October 19, 2009 Drug Policy Changes, The Swedish Way   Legalizing drugs is not a new idea. It was legal drugs that prompted the more restrictive policies that are sometimes dismissed as "prohibition." An historical, global perspective can inform the current debate on the legalization of drugs. Swedish drug policy is well established and offers an alternative to either harsh punishment or legalization and holds real promise as a model for many other nations in the world as they cope with the menacing and divisive modern epidemic problem of nonmedical drug use.  Per Johansson, Secretary of the Board of the World Federation Against Drugs and IBH President Robert L. DuPont, M.D. wrote an unpublished letter to the editor on global drug policy Read more.

October 9, 2009 Cocaine Vaccine Shows Promise for Treating Addicts   Immunization with an experimental anti-cocaine vaccine resulted in a substantial reduction in cocaine use in 38 percent of vaccinated patients in a clinical trial supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). The study is the first successful, placebo-controlled demonstration of a vaccine against an illicit drug of abuse. Read more.

October 8, 2009 Russian Teens to be Tested for Drugs at School   Russia has taken a new approach to drug testing as a means of drug use prevention and identification of users in schools. With support from the Russian President, schools will test all students for drugs as part of standard medical examinations. This is a great first step in student drug testing efforts abroad. Read more.

October 7, 2009 Prescription Drug Use is Leading Cause of Overdose Deaths   Deaths related to opioid prescription drugs (painkillers) have tripled from 1999 to 2006, rising from 4,000 to 13,800. The national number of overdose deaths grew to 39,000, nearly doubling since in this time with opioid painkillers contributing to almost 40% of all overdose deaths. Improved regulation of these drugs by physicians is necessary, as are improved policies surrounding these drugs. Read more. IBH President Robert L. DuPont, M.D. is quoted in a related USA Today article on this topic. Read the full report from Centers for Disease Control.

October 6, 2009 Half of Addicts Quit After 6 Months of Treatment   A recent study of more than 14,600 patients addicted to heroin, crack cocaine, or both in England's treatment programs found that about half stopped using the drugs after six months. Weighing in on this finding is Thomas McLellan, PhD, Deputy Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy who suggests continued, long-term management of these addicts. The drug treatment provided to patients in England extends beyond the time fram of short-term treatment commonly provided in the United States and may be more cost-effective in the long run. Read more.

October 2, 2009 Drug Use Continues to be Significant Danger to Public Health; Overdose Deaths Outnumber Traffic Deaths in 16 States   A new report from the Centers for Disease Control puts the enormity of drug deaths into perspective by comparing them to the widely appreciated number of traffic deaths each year. The report shows that more people have died from drug overdoses than traffic deaths in 16 states. The national rate of traffic deaths fell 6.5% since 1999 while overdose deaths nearly doubled in that time. Prescription drugs play a critical role in the number of overdoses and IBH connects this finding to both national drug policy and the role of drugged driving in traffic deaths. Read more.

September 23, 2009 Mandatory Alcohol Testing Associated with Reduction in Alcohol-Related Fatal Crashes Among Commercial Drivers   Researchers determined the risk of alcohol involvement in fatal crashes among commercial drivers from 1982 through 2006 by comparing the rates of fatal crashes before and after the mandatory alcohol testing program. There was a 23% reduction in fatal crashes that involved alcohol among commercial drivers during the period of testing. Surprisingly this study does not contain data on the relationship of the use of other drugs in fatal crashes even though drug tests are included for a very good reason: drugged driving is a major problem for commercial drivers, as it is for all drivers. Read more.

September 15, 2009 What Will Mexico's Drug Laws Do? Responses to Mexico's new law that decriminalizes the possession of small amounts of marijuana, cocaine, and heroin have been mixed.   Other countries in Latin America are considering similar changes in their laws, prompting both negative and positive feedback. Tony Payan, Jorge Castaneda, Calvina Fay, Peter Reuter and Ethan Nadelmann weigh in on this issue. Read more.

September 10, 2009 Wall Street Journal article Mexico Eases Ban on Drug Possession ignites questions on what impact new laws will have on the domestic consumption of illegal drugs and drug-related violence.   IBH President Robert L. DuPont submitted an unpublished letter to the editor in response to the Wall Street Journal's recent article on drug policy and laws in Mexico. "The violence that is tearing apart Mexico is 100% funded by the users of illegal drugs. President Calderon and President Obama recently targeted American demand for drugs as a key driver of this violence. In light of Mexico Eases Ban on Drug Possession (August 22) we must ask: What effect do the Mexicans think their decision to decriminalize personal consumption of illegal drugs will have on their domestic consumption of illegal drugs and thus on their drug-related violence?" Read more.

September 8, 2009 HOPE Probation continues to reduce illegal drug use and new crimes by offenders on probation.   Hawaii's Opportunity Probation with Enforcement (HOPE) is being considered as a model in several states and could soon double in size in Hawaii. "This isn't a program -- it's a revolution... As a recidivism prevention program, it's unmatched, and as a drug treatment program, it's unmatched." Read more. The Hawaii Star Bulletin also featured a recent editorial on why Hope Deserves Support. Read more.

August 27, 2009 Drugged driving becomes a national priority in the United Kingdom: New education campaign sets precedent for United States.   The United Kingdom's Department for Transport (DfT) recently launched a £2.3 million campaign to address drugged driving. Entitled THINK! Drug Drive, this campaign reinforces key educational, legal, and policy messages to the public. Read more.

August 1, 2009 Mark H. Moore explains that "Actually, Prohibition Was a Success"   This 1989 New York Times article discusses how prohibition was not a "failure," but rather a successful public health initiative. IBH President Robert L. DuPont, M.D. provides commentary on how this important article relates to the legalization issues of today. Read more.

July 30, 2009 IBH President Robert L. DuPont, M.D. featured in European Cities Against Drugs publication   IBH has continued to expand its international efforts to reduce drug abuse and increase prevention abroad. Jorgen Sviden, Director of the European Cities Against Drugs (ECAD), interviewed Dr. DuPont who discussed international drug policy and the Swedish and American drug experiences. Dr. DuPont was also recently named Chair of the North American Section of World Forum Against Drugs (WFAD). Read more.

July 27, 2009 National Survey Confirms that Drugged Driving is Significantly More Widespread than Drunk Driving   The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released a report on the 2007 National Roadside Survey of alcohol and drug use by drivers. In a random sample of weekend nighttime drivers across the contiguous 48 states, researchers found that 16.3% of weekend nighttime drivers tested positive for drugs, compared to 2.2% of drivers with blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) at or above the legal limit of 0.08 g/dL. Drugs were present more than 7 times as frequently as alcohol in those surveyed. Read more. Read the full research report

June 16, 2009 Could youth drug use be making a comeback?   Rates of youth drug use which have continually declined since the late 1990s have leveled off. The recent softening of youth attitudes on perceived risks of drug use has created a great concern that youth drug use may begin to rise. This policy brief describes the inverse relationship between youth drug use and youth disapproval of use and offers effective solutions to address youth drug use at the local and national levels. Read more.

June 11, 2009 The Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring Program (ADAM II) annual report confirms the long expected link between drug use and crime.   Interview and drug testing data from male arrestees across the U.S. show drug use is much higher among this population than the general public. In the 10 metropolitan areas surveyed, 49% to 87% of arrestees tested positive for at least one illegal substance. A range of 15% to 40% tested positive for more than one drug. IBH is working to improve quality and access to drug treatment in the criminal justice system to reduce illegal drug use among this population. Read more. The Center for Substance Abuse Research released its July issue of CESAR FAX, ONDCP Brings Back ADAM Program.

June 7, 2009 Policy consultant Kevin Sabet weighs in on the implications of legalizing marijuana, confronting the commonly overlooked costs that trump the anticipated monetary benefits from taxing this dangerous drug.   Legalization would likely increase rates of marijuana use ­ as seen with currently legal drugs alcohol and tobacco ­ and will not decrease the levels of drug-related violence. Sabet offers drug prevention efforts in the criminal justice system as part of a research-based solution to addressing this important issue. Read more.

May 18, 2009 Harm Reduction in Action: With one of the most liberal drug policies in Europe, the UK has seen significant increases in rates of problem drug use.   The Government has repeatedly declared that it is fighting a War on Drugs. The data presented here show that this is a Phoney War. It is currently spending £1.5 billion a year on its drugs policy. Yet enforcement of drugs laws is weak and underfunded, while treatment policy is counter-productive. The UK drug problem is the worst in Europe. The UK has one of the highest levels of recreational drug use. There are over ten Problem Drug Users (PDUs) per 1,000 of the adult population, compared to 4.5 in Sweden or 3.2 in the Netherlands Read more.

May 8, 2009 Jonathan Caulkins, PhD and Kevin A. Sabet, PhD respond to The Lancet's recent essay "The war on drugs: A devastating public-policy disaster," suggesting a "mend it, don't end it" approach to prohibition.   Recent events at the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs offered an opportunity for many drug policy groups, including Wood et al.'s (2009) recent article in the Lancet, to espouse the superiority of certain favored policy recommendations as scientifically established. The reality is that our ability as scientists to predict how policy changes will affect drug markets, drug use, and related problems is quite limited. Read more.

Apr 14, 2009: ONDCP names A. Thomas McLellan, Ph.D., as its new Deputy Director; read about this accomplished national leader in drug treatment research and McGovern Award recipient   The nomination of Tom McLellan, Ph.D., to be Deputy Director of ONDCP is the most important White House appointment for substance abuse treatment in over a decade. Tom is widely recognized as the leading drug treatment researcher in the world. This appointment brings great credit to the Obama administration. It fulfills the President's ambition to bring new ideas to solve long-neglected, urgent national priorities.Read more.

Apr 2, 2009: "The Obama Administration's New Strategy to Curb Drug-Related Violence" is IBH's commentary focusing on evolving U.S. drug policy against dangerous drug cartels in Mexico   Bipartisan efforts to contain illegal drug use in the US have shown success that few public health efforts can match. However US demand for drugs remains high enough to keep traffickers in businesses year after year. There is much to do in order to continue and improve demand reduction efforts including gathering support for such an approach. The US needs to reduce the use of illegal drugs at home to make a significant impact in decreasing international drug trafficking. Read more.

Mar 24, 2009: IBH's Commentary on The Economist's article, "How to Stop the Drug Wars," examines pro-legalization myths and considers "What's Wrong with Legalizing Illegal Drugs"   The Economist, in its March 7-13, 2009 cover story, "How to Stop the Drug Wars," has escalated 20 years of increasing support for legalizing illegal drugs by calling this the "least bad solution." "Prohibition has failed," opens the lead article, one of a collection of reports in this issue. The facts are otherwise. On the contrary, restrictive drug policies are working reasonably well. In the US, illegal drug use has been cut from 14% of Americans aged 12 and older in 1979 to 8% in 2007. Far from a failure this is a result that any public health program can envy. Read more.

Mar 9, 2009: Commentary by Robert DuPont, M.D., on Barack Obama's statements and approach on medical marijuana   During his presidential campaign, Barack Obama commented on the issue of medical marijuana. His words on the campaign trail were instructive and likely indicative of his administration's policy position in the coming months. While supporters of medical marijuana often present Obama's words out of their original context, this IBH Commentary reflects Obama's thoughtful and deliberate choice of words about this important issue. Read more.

Mar 1, 2009: from Science Daily: IBH and the Treatment Research Institute conduct landmark study of effective models of treatment for drug- addicted physicians   Doctors who become addicted to alcohol and other drugs can be treated successfully and returned to medical practice with the help of special programs that couple referral to treatment and monitoring with rapid responses to noncompliance, University of Florida researchers report. The study is the first national-level analysis of such Physician Health Programs, and confirms they are effective alternatives to simply punishing drug-addicted doctors. Read more.

Feb 12, 2009: Seattle Police Chief R. Gil Kerlikowske, a distinguished law enforcement leader, named next White House Drug Czar   The position of White House Drug Czar holds abundant challenges for a man whose career is distinguished by the breadth of his vision, his ability to implement cutting-edge programs, and his skill as a communicator who can mobilize wide support. Kerlikowske will step into a minefield of controversies over the future of drug prevention policies, but these daunting challenges will present significant opportunities for new ideas in drug abuse prevention. Read more.

Feb 4, 2009: As a result of using marijuana, 2008 Olympic medalist Michael Phelps has set a different kind of example to young people   The Washington Post writer Michael Wilbon examines eight-time 2008 Olympic medalist Michael Phelps' decision to smoke marijuana and the impact of this decision. As a result of smoking marijuana, Michael Phelps has become a different kind of role model by showing how much young people have to lose as a result of using marijuana. Read more. Also read about "Why Marijuana Use by Celebrities is a Big Deal" along with the Baltimore Sun's article offering some perspective on this complex and frustrating issue. Read more.

Dec 23, 2008: Drug Rehabilitation or Revolving Door?: A New York Times article examines the costly world of addiction treatment and the demands on treatment programs to demonstrate efficacy   Four million Americans receive drug treatment at a cost of $20 billion per year, 2/3 of which is paid for by taxpayers. For too many people, treatment as an expensive revolving door, as described in this article. While "evidence-based" treatment is a step in the right direction, the key to getting better treatment is described late in the article when it discusses the program run by the Delaware Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health. This program monitors treatment for results, including the simplest of all results, the percentage of patients who stay in treatment until it is completed. This new focus on accountability of treatment is welcome, and long overdue. Read more.

Dec 11, 2008: ONDCP has just released a new report providing evidence that a bipartisan, balanced drug prevention strategy is succeeding in Making the Drug Problem Smaller   A major preoccupation of parents since the 1960s, the problem of illegal drug use has been implicated in everything from urban crime to undermining worker productivity and lowering SAT scores. The good news is that drug use is down, in some cases down sharply, with the use of some drugs at or near historic lows. Drug use among young people has only been lower in three of the past 17 years. Evidence is building that these reductions in drug use, which have largely erased the run-up that began in 1993, are the result of innovations in the way we educate young people about the harms of illegal drugs provide help to drugs, those already embarked on a career of drug use, and interdict the drugs and drug traffickers seeking to compromise the integrity of our borders. Read more.

Dec 10, 2008: Innovative Probation Changes Criminal Justice Outcomes: Success of Project HOPE Reduces Drug Use Among Offenders   HOPE (Hawaii's Opportunity Probation with Enforcement), a new program that has been implemented in Honolulu, successfully links the criminal justice system to substance abuse treatment when needed. This program has the potential to command strong bipartisan support and substantially extend the reach of drug courts. HOPE holds the promise of significantly reducing the demand for illegal drugs, crime, and prison populations across the US. Read more. Access the Project HOPE website directly from this link.

Sept 8, 2008: Battle Over the Furture of Drug Abuse Prevention: A Presentation by Robert L. DuPont, M.D. at the World Forum Against Drugs (WFAD) in Stockholm, Sweden   More than 600 delegates representing over 80 countries attended the meeting of the World Federation Against Drugs (WFAD) in Stockholm, Sweden, at which IBH president Robert L. DuPont, M.D. delivered the plenary address: The Battle Over the Future of Drug Abuse Prevention. Read more. He also authored an article in the WFAD newsletter encouraging attendees to sign the declaration. The declaration of WFAD has been published and can be read here.