Des Moines Register, February 20, 2009

In 1988, then-Senator Joe Biden led the effort to create a “Czar” to oversee and coordinate the U.S. “drug war.” Compromises during the drafting of the original law, and action and inaction by Congresses and Administrations since have left the drug czar little more than a toothless bureaucratic tiger. If reducing the carnage caused by the use of drugs and the battles to decrease their use is the goal, the office of the drug czar should either be scrapped or its mandate rewritten to give it actual responsibility.

By law, the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) is to set priorities, implement a national strategy, and certify federal drug-control budgets. Since the 1980’s ONDCP has mediated and influenced the argument between law enforcement professionals, drug treatment experts and international affairs authorities on where to focus U.S. efforts - how much should be spent to stem the flow of drugs to the marketplace vs. how much should be spent to decrease use through education and drug treatment.

When ONDCP was created, massive amounts of cocaine and other substances were seeping into this country from Colombia and other South and Central American countries. The supply-siders reigned in the early years and the U.S. invested billions in drug interdiction. The demand reduction lobby won some arguments in the late 1990’s and saw modest gains in funding.

Resources for supply reduction (interdiction of drugs, source country programs, and law enforcement) grew by almost 57% during the Bush years, while demand reduction resources (prevention and treatment, including resources for research for agencies like the National Institute on Drug Abuse) grew by only 2.7 percent. Prevention programs realized a 25 percent cut in funding during that time.

While the results of U.S. efforts in source countries like Colombia are debatable, the negative impact on U.S. relations with these countries is less so. Last week, a commission led by three former Latin American heads of state called the decades long U.S. led war on drugs a failure and recommended a new approach that, in part, deemphasized law enforcement and interdiction efforts. Former presidents Ernesto Zedillio of Mexico, Cesar Gaviria of Colombia and Fernando Henrique Cardoso of Brazil said this “war” was pushing Latin American societies to the breaking point. The Commission’s report argues police and military interdiction is fueling the growth of organized crime, drug related violence and political corruption, yet is having little impact on the world consumption of drugs.

As important, drug use in the U.S. has changed. While there have been noted declines in the use of drugs by youth, drug use among adults has continued or even risen in some areas. The amount of home grown substances, those manufactured here like methamphetamines, and illegally and improperly used pharmaceuticals has reached all time highs. Drug treatment centers continue to have long waiting lists and the recidivism rate for those completing drug treatment is appalling.

It is expected President Obama will appoint R. Gil Kerlikowske, Seattle’s chief of police, as the new director of ONDCP. Mr. Kerlikowske, if selected and confirmed by the Senate, will lead an office which oversees little and lacks management of any significant program.