An overview of the early history of drug abuse and drug control is followed by a discussion of the relationship between drugs and crime. A separate section focuses on the problem of alcohol abuse and control. Other sections address the prevalence and control status regarding marijuana, heroin, and cocaine. Characteristics of drug users are profiled, followed by an outline of the debate about whether drug use is a "victimless" crime. A review of the National Institute of Justice's report, "Searching for Answers: Annual Evaluation Report on Drugs and Crime, 1990," notes that the report focuses primarily on the number of low-level arrests of street-corner dealers while downplaying the failure to arrest those who are instrumental in controlling drug trafficking. Sections on strategies to counter drug abuse address parental education, the use of addicts as lecturers in educating youth about the consequences of drug abuse, drug treatment approaches, the use of "tough love," and the debate over whether the government should distribute clean needles to counter the AIDS epidemic. Drug treatment in prison is also reviewed, along with domestic and international drug enforcement strategies.