In recent years, European drug policies have become more lenient toward drug addicts (demand side of the drug market) while maintaining a repressive policy toward drug trafficking (supply side). Since the high prices of drugs are the decisive factor in the crimes of the addicts and in their misery, policy should focus on the destruction of this profitable market for drug suppliers. An easy way to do this could be to supply addictive drugs to addicts by physicians or within special clinics. The problem with this strategy is that the deterrent effect of high prices for so-called newcomers is lost. To prevent this, even more emphasis is needed on the repression of drug trafficking. In addition, the sale of drugs by addicts to non- addicts must be obstructed. Empirical analyses do not provide clear evidence of the effectiveness of various drug policies; for example, there is no clear evidence concerning deaths from drugs among countries with varying repressive policies. There is strong evidence, however, that high drug prices have a negative effect on the mortality of drug addicts. To the extent that repressive policies increase drug prices, they will have a moderating effect on mortality from drugs. Further, there is evidence of a negative relationship between drug prices and quantities for both heroin and cocaine. 7 tables