II. METHODOLOGY

• All resources are 100 percent drug-related.

III. PROGRAM SUMMARY

• The ONDCP provides the President's primary Executive Branch support for drug policy development and program oversight. ONDCP advises the President on national and international drug control policies and strategies, and works to ensure the effective coordination of drug programs within the Federal Agencies and Departments.



• ONDCP responsibilities include:



• Developing an annual National Drug Control Strategy.



• Developing a consolidated National Drug Control Budget for presentation to the President and the Congress (including budget certifications and quarterly reprogramming reports).



• Certifying the budgets of programs, bureaus, Agencies, and Departments.



• Issuing Funds Control Notices -- ONDCP may direct that all or part of an amount appropriated to a national drug control agency be obligated by months, fiscal year quarters, or other time periods, as well as activities, functions, projects, or object classes. This authority is discretionary.



• Evaluating Program Effectiveness -- ONDCP is required to include in each National Drug Control Strategy an evaluation of the effectiveness of Federal drug control during the preceding year. This assessment must include the following elements:



1. changes in drug use, including estimates of drug prevalence and frequency of use in Federal, state, and local surveys, as well as special studies of high-risk populations and drug use in the workplace;



2. changes in drug availability as measured by the quantities of illicit drugs available and the amounts entering the United States, in addition to the interdiction efforts and their effectiveness;



3. changes in drug use consequences, which must encompass ONDCP's estimation of the burdens drug users place on national and other social services, including the resulting drug-related crimes and criminal activity, in addition to the contribution of drugs to the underground economy; and



4. drug treatment capacity by assessing total public and private treatment slots' efficiency and effectiveness within each state.



• Coordinating and overseeing Federal anti-drug policies and programs involving approximately 50 Federal agencies and the programs they administer.



• Encouraging private-sector, state, and local drug prevention and control initiatives.



• Conducting policy analysis and research to determine the effectiveness of drug programs and policies in addressing the Strategy's goals, priorities, and objectives.



• Designating High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTAs) and providing overall policy guidance and oversight for the award of resources to Federal, state, and local law enforcement partnerships in these areas.



• Operating CTAC to serve as the central counterdrug enforcement research and development center for the Federal Government.



• Funds for the HIDTA program and the Special Forfeiture Fund (SFF) are reflected as Funds Appropriated to the President, Federal Drug Control Programs. A review of these programs is discussed elsewhere in this volume.    

IV. BUDGET SUMMARY

1997 Base Program

• The FY 1997 base program includes $35.838 million which supports all five goals of the National Drug Control Strategy.



• The Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy is charged with formulating, evaluating, coordinating, and overseeing both international and domestic anti-drug abuse functions by all Executive Branch agencies, and ensuring that such functions sustain and complement state and local anti-drug abuse efforts.



• The Office of the Chief of Staff is responsible for managing agency operations and monitoring agency compliance with the Director's assignments.



• The Office of Supply Reduction is responsible for advising the Director on policies and programs to reduce the supply of drugs and ensuring the implementation of the supply reduction programs in support of the goals and objectives of the National Drug Control Strategy. The Office of Supply Reduction supports the interdiction and international functions.



• The Office of Demand Reduction is responsible for advising the Director of ONDCP on policies and programs to reduce the demand for drugs and ensuring the implementation of the demand-related portions of the National Drug Control Strategy. The Office of Demand Reduction supports the prevention and treatment functions.



• The Bureau of State and Local Affairs (BSLA) coordinates ONDCP relationship and outreach efforts to State and local government agencies as well as public interest groups. In addition, BSLA promotes coordination among Federal programs in cooperation with State and local counter-drug programs, including overseeing the HIDTA Program. The Bureau of State and Local Affairs supports the state and local assistance function.



• The Office of Programs, Budget, and Evaluation is responsible for coordinating the Strategy development process and conducting research and analysis on drug-related issues. OPBE is also responsible for developing and monitoring implementation of government-wide consolidated Drug Control Budget and presenting the Drug Control Budget to the President, the Congress, and the public.



• Counter-Drug Technology Assessment (CTAC) provides new technology to improve Federal agency counter-drug enforcement operations, as well as drug abuse treatment and rehabilitation research missions. CTAC supports the research and development function.



• Other offices within ONDCP which support the counter-drug efforts include: the Office of Administration; the Office of Public Affairs (OPA); the Office of Legal Affairs (OLA); the Office of Strategic Planning; the Office of Legislative Affairs; and the Office of Intelligence. The Office of Administration provides administrative support for ONDCP. The Office of Public Affairs serves as a liaison between ONDCP and the media. The Office of Legal Affairs is responsible for advising the Director and ONDCP staff regarding the scope and effect of the legal authority of the Director and the agency. The Office of Strategic Planning coordinates all of the Director's trips, develops or reviews all significant public policy statements, prepares the Director's briefings and supports his public speaking engagements. The Office of Legislative Affairs is ONDCP's liaison with the Congress, the White House Office of Legislative Affairs, and the legislative offices of more than fifty Federal agencies involved in implementing the National Drug Control Strategy. The Office of Intelligence oversees an effective interagency drug intelligence effort which supports the National Drug Control Strategy.



• Model State Drug Laws -- FY 1997 resources include $1 million for state conferences to be held by the Governors to review model state drug law proposals. This funding was awarded though Bureau of Justice Assistance grant to the National Alliance for Model State Drug Laws, a non-profit corporation formed to examine this issue. The Alliance serves as a resources center on model drug laws and related state statutes for Governors, state legislators, and attorney generals.

• The total FY 1998 drug control budget request is $36.016 million, an increase of $0.178 million over the FY 1997 enacted level.



• Operations. The request includes sufficient resources to enable ONDCP to maintain its operations at approximately the FY 1997 program level.



• ONDCP Policy Research. ONDCP's policy research will emphasize issues related to knowledge development, drug use trends, emerging drugs, drug availability, and program evaluation. Greater attention will be given to developing measures of effectiveness to link strategy programs with overall strategy goals.



• CTAC Research and Development. The request for CTAC will emphasize science and technology development and research into drug abuse addiction and rehabilitation.

V. PROGRAM STATISTICS

• Not available.

VI. PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• ONDCP is developing a comprehensive long-term strategy for dealing with the drug problem.



• ONDCP is working with other Federal agencies to develop supporting five-year budget plans for this ten year strategy.



• Ongoing ONDCP initiatives that support the objective of reversing negative youth drug use trends include:



• Developing a public education campaign to supplement the anti-drug public service announcements developed by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America and other organizations and carried by broadcast and print media.



• Expanding incentive programs to motivate America's youth to remain drug-free.



• Developing a Corporate/Community Outreach Program to invite participation of leading national corporate and public relations partners to incorporate the anti-drug/pro-health message.



• Providing standard for prevention and education programs to guide state, local, and community use of Federal prevention and education funds.



• ONDCP is coordinating a Federal response to the drug legalization efforts in California Proposition 215 and Arizona Proposition 200. ONDCP will work with the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences to design a rigorous review of the existing body of scientific knowledge related to the medical applications and harm of smoke marijuana.



• Ongoing ONDCP initiatives that support the initiative of shielding our air, land, and sea borders include:



• ONDCP began a comprehensive review of the Federal effort to counter drug smuggling at the Southwest border.



• The High Level Contact Group established between the U.S. and Mexico has provided a useful framework for addressing drug-related issues.



• Over the past three years, CTAC has developed and provided to the Customs Service for evaluation prototype systems for detecting contraband in liquid transport containers and empty trucks with gamma rays, for inspecting mail and small packages with nuclear magnetic resonance, and detecting trace vapors using gas chromatography.



• CTAC has also developed and is testing a new generation of navigation, surveillance, and command system for use by law enforcement officers to detect and track illegal drug trafficking.



• Under CTAC funding, cocaine blockers and artificial enzymes that destroy cocaine molecules in the blood stream before they reach the brain are being developed. The initial phase of this project develops catalytic enzymes that break up the cocaine molecule into inert materials which are naturally removed from the body and then free themselves to attack the next cocaine molecule and so on. Immunization is expected to last up to six months. Three catalytic enzymes have been tested successfully on mice and testing on Rhesus monkey is scheduled to begin.



• In the area of addiction treatment research, CTAC supports the use of positron emission tomography for researchers at the Addiction Research Center to map the exact areas of the brain that are activated by drugs of abuse.