The discussion summarizes the history of drug policies since the 1970's. The discussion argues that the current drug epidemic results from a weak national drug strategy, which has underestimated both the resilience of the drug epidemic and the enormity of the national security threat posed by spreading international drug cartels in Colombia and Mexico. It also argues that the current strategy places too much emphasis on federally funded drug treatment and too little emphasis on drug interdiction, effective source country programs, demand reduction through prevention, and better coordination of the war on Drugs. It urges a new strategy that focuses on transit-zone interdiction and nationwide prevention, together with rethinking about the basic design of each component of the drug war. The author is the Staff Director and Chief Counsel to the Subcommittee on National Security, International Affairs and Criminal Justice of the House Committee on Government Reform. Footnotes