U.S. Conference of Mayors Applauds Obama Administration’s National Drug Control Strategy

WASHINGTON—The United States Conference of Mayors has adopted a resolution endorsing the Obama Administration’s first National Drug Control Strategy, which the mayors said “reflects a new approach to drug policy, adopting a science-based approach to prevention and treatment, innovations in law enforcement, and the wise use of criminal justice resources,” the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) announced today.

Adopted Monday at the mayors’ 78th annual meeting in Oklahoma City, the resolution says the policies in the new Strategy “should reduce public spending while improving public safety.”

“The Conference of Mayors applauds the Strategy’s call for strengthening prevention in local communities; endorsing the importance of integrating substance abuse treatment into mainstream healthcare; expanding support for recovery; addressing the cycle of drug use, crime, delinquency and incarceration; and seeking to disrupt domestic drug trafficking and production while strengthening international partnership,” the resolution said.

The mayors also praised the Strategy, released May 10, for reflecting “a national consultation process through which the Director of National Drug Control Policy consulted with mayors, health care professional, law enforcement officials, and other local community leaders to identify the best approaches to drug control.”

ONDCP Director Gil Kerlikowske, who addressed the mayors’ conference Saturday, said he was pleased the mayors “recognized the balanced, comprehensive approach of prevention, treatment, and law enforcement that this Administration will employ to address drug use and its consequences.”

“This Strategy brings together the best ideas of people in the Obama Administration and the insights and experience of scores of Americans who contributed to the year-long process to develop a national plan for action,” said Kerlikowske.

The mayors’ resolution also praises the Administration’s FY2011 National Drug Control Budget, which calls for an increase of $521.1 million over FY2010 levels and includes increases in funding for prevention, treatment, interdiction, and international support. These expenditures should help reduce the costly consequences of drug use, “including the relationships affected, the crimes generated, the childhoods interrupted, and the neighborhoods blighted,” the resolution states.

The mayors also praised the new Strategy for recognizing that drug problems “are most effectively handled at the local community level.” The Strategy “highlights the importance of local efforts to disrupt drug markets and integrate treatment into basic health care in order to stop drug abuse problems from becoming chronic,” the resolution says.

The resolution was sponsored by Mayors Robert J. Duffy of Rochester, N.Y., David N. Cicilline of Providence and Thomas M. Menino of Boston.