Drug abuse is a major international problem and its control has become a critical element of United States foreign policy. U.S. international narcotics control efforts involve the coordinated efforts and assets of numerous Federal agencies such as the Department of State, Agency for International Development (AID), and Drug Enforcement Administration. Despite increased U.S. assistance to cooperating countries and crop control and law enforcement efforts and increased eradication, narcotics production remains at high levels and supplies available to the United States remain plentiful. Many countries have initiated drug control and drug awareness programs. But, in most cases, their governments face difficult economic, political, and cultural problems which limit their ability to deal with drug production and trafficking. These problems include (1) ineffective government control over drug-growing regions, (2) competing demands for scarce host-country resources, (3) weak economies, (4) corrupt law enforcement and judicial officials, (5) legal cultivation and trade use of drugs, and (6) increasing non-trade demand for illegal drugs. AID programs were only partly successful in reducing illicit narcotics cultivation because of difficulties in identifying substitute crops and integrating enforcement or control programs with development projects. AID's present strategy is to couple area development programs with narcotic awareness programs. 2 tables. (Author summary modified)