Specifically, the Major Cities program examines in detail the drug threat in selected areas and then brings together experts and local leaders to identify which approaches in countering drug abuse are working and create new programs as needed. This booklet's introduction notes the prevalence and the harms caused by drug abuse in the United States and advises that a comprehensive and cooperative program that involves all segments of the community is necessary to prevent and reduce the impact of drug abuse. The introduction is followed by an overview of the Major Cities program, including its goals, approach, and key measures being used to evaluate its effectiveness. The next section explains how individuals can work together to lay the foundation for the program. It describes the first steps for local leaders to take in mobilizing others for an antidrug effort. These include performing a data-based threat analysis to identify the features of the drug problem and planning the structure for a communitywide program. This is followed by a section of the booklet that describes how to enlist partners for the work that needs to be done. Advice is offered on scheduling and conducting the strategy-development session. The booklet then explains how to keep the program going in the planned direction after it has been launched. This requires the continuous monitoring of the implementation and ongoing performance of various program activities, as well as assessments of the impact of these activities on the drug problem. Resource listing, appended checklists, sample plans, and agendas