Drug control programs have employed three principal methods: enforcement, treatment, and prevention. While intensified law enforcement is not likely to reduce adolescent drug use, and the benefits of expanded treatment remain uncertain, prevention programs hold more promise. The most encouraging evidence comes from the success of school-based programs to prevent cigarette smoking, which offer a strategy that may be adaptable to other drugs. Up to now, the Federal Government has dominated the Nation's drug control effort. Over 70 percent of its 1982 funds for drug control went to enforcement; the remainder went to treatment. Prevention programs have lacked ample funding and yet still do an excellent job of keeping young people away from drugs. Law enforcement concentrates almost entirely on the illicit markets for heroin, cocaine, and marijuana. This tactic is more effective when effort is concentrated on high level dealers. Evaluation of treatment programs is difficult because of the variety of programs and the limited evidence. Programs to prevent adolescent smoking are highly successful and drug prevention programs should follow the same type of format. Specific initiatives should include drug use and smoking prevention, alcohol prevention, information programs, law enforcement data collection, research and analysis of illicit drug markets, school enforcement, risk assessment, and treatment of drug abusers. Ten figures, 28 tables, and a 28-page reference list are included.