The nations represented in this issue include the U.S., Canada, England, the Netherlands, Germany, and Australia; the authors of each article approach the drug-crime nexus from their national perspective, based on the research available to them. In all these countries, alcohol and tobacco are legal, while cannabis, cocaine, heroin, and the nonmedical use of opiates are illegal. The bulk of drug offenses involve cannabis, although alcohol contributes to a large proportion of the criminal justice workload. In addition to alcohol- specific crimes, alcohol is the drug most often used by offenders prior to the commission of their crimes. A key difference between the U.S. and other countries is the orientation of social policy with respect to drugs; the U.S. takes a criminal justice position, while most other nations have a public health outlook to the problem. 2 notes, 22 references, and 1 appendix