Drug use, drug prohibition and minority communities

Drug problems, including alcohol and tobacco abuse, present major public health concerns for the American people. Drug abuse and its related difficulties have been associated with both increased morbidity and premature mortality. In the United States, ethnic minorities have experienced the overall negative impact of drug abuse much more severely than the general population. The impact of drug prohibition in the United States has not been to eliminate or minimize the use of illicit drugs. Indeed, in recent times, the use of some illegal substances (e.g., cocaine) has increased among certain segments of our population; while the use of licit substances (e.g., alcohol) has decreased among specific groups. Unfortunately, drug prohibition and related policies have contributed to the differential impact of the negative consequences of drug abuse on ethnic and racial minorities. The passage and enforcement of repressive drug laws, to curb what is essentially a public health problem, has not been demonstrated to be a productive mechanism for the amelioration of drug related problems within our minority communities.