The war on drugs must be seen within the context of the government's value system. Prevention strategies are based less on concern for health and welfare than on the need for coercive sanctions. The government thus tends to see individuals as both sick and morally evil without looking at the structural or social environment of drug use. One of the most common characteristics of the drug war is the notion of a public menace. The drug war serves the interests of politicians, is characterized by increased criminal justice involvement, uses undefined concepts of addiction and disease to characterize the problem, and portrays youth and women as victims. In broad terms, the drug war relies on four basic strategies: increased interdiction of drug supplies; increased penalties for drug users; increased detection and surveillance of potential drug users; and increased dissemination of proscriptive norms, such as "just say no." Government should recognize that the drug problem is a complex issue requiring long-term planning and prevention strategies. The drug problem should be viewed as a socially generated public health problem. Therefore, policies highlighting the social and health sectors rather than the criminal justice system are needed. 58 references.