THIS STUDY BY THE FORECASTING BRANCH OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE (WHICH IS PART OF THE ALCOHOL, DRUG ABUSE, AND MENTAL HEALTH ADMINISTRATION OF THE US DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES) WAS CONDUCTED TO PROVIDE LOCAL PROGRAM PLANNERS, ADMINISTRATORS, AND OTHER DECISIONMAKERS WITH SOME BASIC TOOLS TO ASSESS LOCAL DRUG ABUSE CONDITIONS AND PROBLEMS IN A VIABLE AND TIMELY MANNER. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY WILL HOPEFULLY PROVIDE ITS USERS WITH OBJECTIVE DATA ON WHICH TO BASE EVERYDAY JUDGMENT REGARDING THE PUBLIC HEALTH PROBLEM OF DRUG ABUSE, PLANNING FOR DRUG ABUSE SERVICES, AND ALLOCATING LIMITED RESOURCES ON LOCAL LEVELS. A DETAILED DISCUSSION OF DRUG ABUSE INDICATORS AND THEIR RATIONALE FOR SELECTION IS PRESENTED. SOME OF THE SUGGESTED DRUG ABUSE INDICATORS INCLUDE: DRUG ABUSE TREATMENT ADMISSIONS, HEPATITIS MORBIDITY, DRUG ABUSE MORTALITY, NONFATAL DRUG ABUSE EMERGENCY ROOM EPISODES, AND DRUG LAW VIOLATION ARRESTS. METHODS FOR ACQUIRING THESE DATA, INCLUDING SAMPLES OF VARIOUS DATA COLLECTING INSTRUMENTS, ARE ALSO DISCUSSED. THE EXPERIENCES OF ONE LOCAL COMMUNITY ARE ILLUSTRATED AS AN EXAMPLE, INCLUDING THEIR METHODS AND PROCEDURES FOR ACQUIRING AND ORGANIZING DRUG ABUSE INDICATOR DATA, FOR IDENTIFYING LOCAL DRUG ABUSE PROBLEMS, AND FOR COMMUNICATING DRUG ABUSE DATA TO THE LOCAL CONSTITUENCY AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. APPENDIXES GIVE SAMPLES OF DATA GATHERING AND RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS: BASED IN PART ON THE PAPER'S EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.