THE HEARINGS WERE CALLED TO PLAN FEDERAL STRATEGY FOR DRUG ABUSE PREVENTION AND TO FIND OUT HOW THE VARIOUS GOVERNMENT AGENCIES ARE IMPLEMENTING THIS STRATEGY. THE PHILOSOPHY BEHIND FEDERAL EFFORTS IN THIS AREA IS THAT MONIES AND RESOURCES AIMED TOWARD PREVENTION LEAD TO ENORMOUS SAVINGS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT. THE HEARINGS EMPHASIZED THE FACT THAT REACHING THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT YET BEGUN TO ABUSE DRUGS, OR ARE ABUSING DRUGS FOR LACK OF INFORMATION, IS ONE OF THE MOST HOPEFUL LONG-RANGE SOLUTIONS OF THIS COUNTRY'S PANDEMIC DRUG ABUSE PROBLEM. THE MOST PRESSING NEED IS COORDINATION AMONG THE EFFORTS OF THE VARIOUS FEDERAL AGENCIES IN THE DRUG CONTROL AREA, AND ELIMINATION OF FRAGMENTED PREVENTION EFFORTS. TESTIMONY WAS RECORDED FROM REPRESENTATIVES OF FEDERAL AGENCIES AND COMMUNITY-BASED ACTION GROUPS. AMONG THE SPECIFIC LEGISLATION SUPPORTED BY THE HOUSE SELECT COMMITTEE ON NARCOTICS ABUSE AND CONTROL, A BILL ON TRAFFICKING ON THE HIGH SEAS, AND A BILL PROHIBITING THE SALE OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA, WERE DISCUSSED. AMONG THE MEASURES AIMED AT CONTROLLING THE FLOW OF DRUGS INTO THE COUNTRY, A TREATY WITH COLOMBIA ON THE DRUG TRAFFIC ORIGINATING IN THAT COUNTRY, AND THE FINANCIAL INVESTIGATION OF KNOWN DRUG TRAFFICKERS, WERE MENTIONED. CONCENTRATION OF DRUG PREVENTION EFFORTS ON JUVENILES WAS EMPHASIZED AS ONE OF THE MOST PRESSING NEEDS IN THE AREA OF DRUG CONTROL EFFORTS. WITH REGARD TO THE DECRIMINALIZATION QUESTION, IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT THE EMOTION-CHARGE WORD 'DECRIMINALIZATION' SHOULD BE ELIMINATED, IF POSSIBLE, AND REPLACED WITH A MORE NEUTRAL WORD TO ENSURE GREATER OBJECTIVITY IN DISCUSSING THE MATTER.