[House Document 114-79]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]




114th CONGRESS, 1st SESSION ------------------------- House Document 114-79
                                       
                   
        
                  2015 NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL STRATEGY

                               __________

                                 MESSAGE

                                  From

                   THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

                              TRANSMITTING

 THE ADMINISTRATION'S 2015 NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL STRATEGY, PURSUANT TO 
     21 U.S.C. 1705; PUB. L. 109-469, SEC. 706(a); (120 STAT. 3513)


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  November 17, 2015.--Message and accompanying papers referred to the 
  Committees on Energy and Commerce, the Judiciary, Foreign Affairs, 
     Transportation and Infrastructure, Veterans' Affairs, Natural 
 Resources, Armed Services, Homeland Security, Intelligence (Permanent 
Select), Education and the Workforce, Oversight and Government Reform, 
 Financial Services, Ways and Means, and Agriculture and ordered to be 
                                printed
To the Congress of the United States:
    I am pleased to transmit the 2015 National Drug Control 
Strategy, my Administration's 21st century approach to drug 
policy that works to reduce illicit drug use and its 
consequences in the United States. This evidence-based plan, 
which balances public health and public safety efforts to 
prevent, treat, and provide recovery from the disease of 
addiction, seeks to build a healthier, safer, and more 
prosperous country.
    Since the release of my Administration's inaugural National 
Drug Control Strategy in 2010, we have seen significant 
progress in addressing challenges we face along the entire 
spectrum of drug policy--including prevention, early 
intervention, treatment, recovery support, criminal justice 
reform, law enforcement, and international cooperation. 
However, we still face serious drug-related challenges. Illicit 
drug use is a public health issue that jeopardizes not only our 
well-being, but also the progress we have made in strengthening 
our economy--contributing to addiction, disease, lower student 
academic performance, crime, unemployment, and lost 
productivity.
    Therefore, we continue to pursue a drug policy that is 
effective, compassionate, and just. We are working to erase the 
stigma of addiction, ensuring treatment and a path to recovery 
for those with substance use disorders. We continue to research 
the health risks of drug use to encourage healthy behaviors, 
particularly among young people. We are reforming our criminal 
justice system, providing alternatives to incarceration for 
non-violent, substance-involved offenders, improving re-entry 
programs, and addressing unfair sentencing disparities. We 
continue to devote significant law enforcement resources to 
reduce the supply of drugs via sea, air, and land interdiction, 
and law enforcement operations and investigations. We also 
continue to partner with our international allies, helping them 
address transnational organized crime, while addressing 
substance use disorders and other public health issues.
    I thank the Congress for its continued support of our 
efforts. I look forward to joining with them and all our local, 
State, tribal, national and international partners to advance 
this important undertaking.
                                                      Barack Obama.
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