Critical Choices: Making Drug Policy at the State Level (2001)

The 2001 report, "Critical Choices: Making Drug Policy at the State Level," discusses the significant role of state and local governments in shaping drug policy, particularly in budget decisions for criminal justice, prevention, and treatment programs. It highlights the fact that local jurisdictions know best what their communities need to combat the drug crisis, which can vary in scale and impact from city to city and state to state. It also highlights the complexities and challenges faced in making drug policy at the state level, emphasizing the need for increased resources to strengthen existing services and create new research-backed programs. The report also emphasizes the importance of state and local initiatives in influencing national policy and provides insights from the Governors Leadership Council on major issues shaping drug policy at the state and local levels.