Emerging Drug Trends & Prevention
Emerging Drug Trends & Prevention
United States national drug control policy is
historically reactive,
addressing the latest
crisis long after it is established.
Prevention
is the best policy tool available for
addressing emerging drug problems, but it is
most effective before problems become well-
entrenched. Three emerging trends could
prove damaging if ignored: (1) cocaine use
by young adults is increasing and cocaine-
involved overdoses have exploded, (2)
heroin and synthetic opioids are driving
opioid overdose deaths, and (3) the country
is increasingly accepting of marijuana. In
light of these trends, we offer five
recommendations to develop prevention
infrastructure and facilitate proactive solutions.
