THE INVESTIGATIONS DOCUMENTED BY THE UNITED NATIONS SOCIAL DEFENCE RESEARCH INSTITUTE HAVE TWO GOALS: TO SHOW THE INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES THAT CAN BE USED IN PROBING THE REASONS FOR AND EXTENT OF NONMEDICAL DRUG USE, AND TO SHOW THE VARIETIES AND ELUSIVE NATURE OF THE BEHAVIOR. NOT ALL NATIONAL DRUG-USE PROGRAMS NEED BE AS COMPREHENSIVE AS THE ONES INITIATED BY THE U.S., CANADA, AND JAPAN. THE EXISTENCE OF A DRUG PROBLEM SHOULD BE DETERMINED AND CERTAIN INDICATORS SHOULD BE IDENTIFIED: THE KINDS OF DRUGS IN USE, THE SIZE OF POPULATIONS INVOLVED, THE AGE GROUPS ENGAGING IN DRUG USE. SEVERAL REASONS ARE GIVEN FOR A DRUG PROGRAM ON A NATIONAL SCALE: (1) CONTROL OF ILLICIT DISTRIBUTION OF DRUGS CANNOT BE LEFT ONLY TO INDIVIDUAL REGIONS OF A COUNTRY, (2) OPERATION OF TREATMENT PROGRAMS IS BEYOND LOCAL COMMUNITY CAPABILITIES, (3) CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTIONS MAY DEMAND A NATIONAL EFFORT, AND (4) PATTERNS OF ILLICIT DRUG USE MAY DIFFER FROM COUNTRY TO COUNTRY. THE JAPANESE DATA COLLECTION SYSTEM EXEMPLIFIES THIS, IN AS MUCH AS SOME CASES OF ILLICIT DRUG USE BY YOUNG PEOPLE ARE REPORTED TO AUTHORITIES BY THE USER'S FAMILY. IN OTHER CULTURES THIS MIGHT NOT BE POSSIBLE. UNTIL RECENTLY, A PROBLEM FOR THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA WAS THE AVAILABILITY OF ACCURATE RECORDS REFLECTING DRUG USE. THE AMERICAN COMMISSION REPORT GIVES A HISTORY OF THE PROBLEM, A SURVEY OF RESEARCH ON THE EFFECTS OF THE DRUGS, AND SOCIAL POLICY OPTIONS AVAILABLE. AMONG THE COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS ARE THE FOLLOWING: NEW EMPHASIS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF FAMILY, CHURCH, AND SCHOOL TO AFFECT THE PROBLEM; DEEMPHASIS OF THE DRUG PROBLEM AND INTEGRATION OF IT INTO THE LARGE FRAMEWORK OF HUMAN RESOURCE POLICY PLANNING; CHANGES IN FEDERAL LAW, INCLUDING DECRIMINALIZATION OF MARIJUANA. OTHER LEGAL CONTROLS ARE ALSO RECOMMENDED. THE CANADIAN COMMISSION REPORT REVIEWS DRUG USE IN THAT COUNTRY AND DESCRIBES CURRENT RESEARCH IN VARIOUS AREAS. THE COMMISSION RECOMMENDED THAT CANNABIS BE PLACED UNDER CONTROLS SIMILAR TO THOSE FOR ALCOHOL. JAPAN REPORTS ON THREE PERIODS OF DRUG USE: THE FIRST FOLLOWING WORLD WAR II, THE SECOND FROM 1954 TO 1969, PRESENT (1969 TO 1979). APPENDIXES AND TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED. (RFE)