US Demand Reduction Efforts
 The United States is dedicated to a comprehensive, balanced approach of prevention, 

treatment, and enforcement. This document provides information about ONDCP’s efforts to 

prevent drug use and treat addiction. In FY 2012, the Obama Administration requests 

approximately $10.7 billion to support demand reduction. This includes a nearly 15 

percent increase for prevention, and a 1 percent increase for treatment over the FY 2011 

enacted level. The overall FY 2012 national drug budget request, including supply 

reduction, is $26.2 billion, an increase of $485.7 million over FY 2011.

Federal Drug Control Funding By Function ($ In Millions) 

FY 2010 

Enacted 

FY 2011 

Enacted 

FY 2012 

Request 

FY 11-12 

Change 

Percent 

Change 

Treatment 

Prevention 

$8,883.4 

1,559.8 

$8,913.6 

1,466.4 

$8,982.1 

1,682.8 

$68.5

216.3

 0.8% 

14.8% 

Demand Reduction 10,443.2 

40.3% 

10,380.0 

40.4% 

10,664.8 

40.7% 

284.8 2.7% 

Note: Detail may not be added due to rounding 

Drug Use in America

In 2009, an estimated 22 million Americans aged 12 or older were current (past month) 

illicit drug users.

Drugs most used include marijuana/hashish, cocaine (including crack),

heroin, hallucinogens, inhalants, and prescription­type psychotherapeutics.

1

Marijuana and pain relievers are the drugs of choice for new users. In 2009, an 

estimated 3.1 million persons aged 12 or older used an illicit drug for the first time. 

Most in that group used marijuana (59.1 percent) and pain relievers (17.1 percent).2

Drugs caused more deaths than firearms and alcohol in 2007. According to the

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 38,371 people died of drug‐induced 

causes in 2007, the latest year for which data are available. This compares with 

31,224 deaths from firearms injuries and 23,199 alcohol‐induced deaths.

1 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2009 (September 2010). 

2 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2009 (September 2010). 

ONDCP seeks to foster healthy individuals and safe communities by effectively

leading the Nation’s effort to reduce drug use and its consequences.

May 2011 
                     

                   

     

         

           

       

   

Prevention

Prevention is most successful when messages are conveyed at home (core values) and 

reinforced in schools, workplaces, and community organizations (reinforcing values). They

should link prevention and overall health, reflecting shared social norms (prevailing 

values). 

Prevention­Prepared Communities: The FY 2012 request includes $15.0 million

for a pilot network of “prevention‐prepared communities.” These offer continuous 

evidence‐based interventions throughout adolescence. $5.6 million is requested for 

community specialists to develop prevention‐prepared communities and increase 

state agency collaboration. Activities include state‐level drug monitoring, technical 

assistance, and mentoring networks. Also, $2.0 million is requested to fund 

evaluations of the pilot program. 

State Substance Abuse Prevention Grants.  The FY 2012 request includes $395.0

million for a new state formula grant for substance abuse prevention.  This new

grant program combines legacy funding from the Strategic Prevention Framework 

program and the Prevention set‐aside from the Substance Abuse Prevention and 

Treatment Block Grant to fund state‐supported, evidence‐based community 

prevention programs. 

The National Youth Anti­Drug Media Campaign. The FY 2012 request of $45.0 

million targets youth and their parents through advertising and public outreach on 

television, radio, in magazines and on the Internet. For more information, visit 

online: www.TheAntidrug.com.

Drug Free Communities (DFC) Support Program. The FY 2012 request of $88.6

million for DFC provides grants of up to $125,000 per year, for a maximum of 10 

years, to local coalitions to mobilize communities against drugs. Community 

coalitions strive to develop local solutions and increase community involvement and 

effectiveness in carrying out a wide array of drug prevention strategies, initiatives, 

and activities.  For more information go to: www.ondcp.gov/dfc.

Successful, Safe, and Healthy Students. Education requests $266.9 million in FY 

2012 for a new program that supports student achievement and helps ensure 

students are mentally and physically healthy and ready to learn.  The objective is to 

create an improved school climate that reduces drug use, violence, and harassment 

and improves school safety and students’ physical and mental well‐being.

Drugged Driving.  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s FY 2012 

$2.8 million request will support the Drug‐Impaired Driving Program, which will 

provide public information, outreach efforts, and improved law enforcement 

training to help reduce drugged driving.  Funding will also support a new roadside 

survey of drug use by drivers and completion of a study of the crash risk of driving 

after taking drugs. 

ONDCP seeks to foster healthy individuals and safe communities by effectively

leading the Nation’s effort to reduce drug use and its consequences.

May 2011 
                     

                   

         

   

           

   

             

   

     

     

         

Treatment

Substance Abuse Treatment block grant. $1.5 billion is requested to support the

public health systems provision of treatment services to those suffering from

addiction. This formula‐based funding to states expands substance abuse treatment 

services, while providing maximum flexibility to states.

Grants to states for Medicaid funded treatment.  Substance abuse treatment 

most often is paid for by two or more public and private sources (private health 

insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, state and local funds, and other Federal support).  

ONDCP’s estimated share of the Federal Medicaid expenditures for substance abuse 

treatment is $3.6 billion.  

Medicare funded treatment.  Medicare‐funded substance abuse treatment is an 

entitlement for eligible Medicare participants, estimated at $1.6 billion in FY 2012.  

Coverage and costs are increasing with the growing demand for treatment and the 

addition of Part D coverage prescription drug coverage.

Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT). SBIRT is a

low‐cost, high‐impact approach whereby patients receiving medical services in 

regular health facilities are screened for drug abuse and referred to follow‐up 

treatment, if necessary. The FY 2012 request through the Substance Abuse and 

Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is $27.1 million. By October 2010, 

1.2 million patients in grantee sites had been screened: 14.8 percent required brief 

interventions, 2.4 percent required brief treatment, and 3.1 percent required 

referrals to specialized programs. More information is available online at

www.sbirt.samhsa.gov/about.htm. 

Drug Courts. In FY 2012, the Justice Department requests $57.0 million for support 

to Drug Courts, providing grants to criminal justice agencies to implement and 

improve drug court programs.  SAMHSA’s FY 2012 request of $43.8 million will 

provide services to support substance abuse treatment, assessment, case 

management, and program coordination for those in need of treatment services.  

Drug Courts serve 44.7 percent of counties in the U.S. They reduce recidivism, long‐

term costs, and drug demand. 

Research on diversion strategies:  The Department of Justice’s FY 2012 request of 

$10.0 million builds on the work of Drug Courts, community supervision of 

offenders, and other offender diversion strategies to develop, test, and evaluate the 

next generation of cost‐effective diversion programs. 

Ex­Offender Reentry program grants.  The FY 2012 request includes $22.6

million for SAMHSA’s Ex‐Offender Reentry program grants, which provide 

screening, assessment, and comprehensive treatment and recovery support services 

to offenders reentering the community, as well as to offenders who are currently on 

or being released from probation or parole.

Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT). $30.0 million requested for 

RSAT supports the provision of residential treatment prior to release in state and 

local prisons and jails.

ONDCP seeks to foster healthy individuals and safe communities by effectively

leading the Nation’s effort to reduce drug use and its consequences.

May 2011 
                     

                   

         

       

   

                 

             

             

Bureau of Prisons drug treatment efforts.  The Violent Crime Control and Law 

Enforcement Act of 1994 requires the Bureau of Prisons to provide residential

substance abuse treatment to all eligible inmates.  The FY 2012 request of $108.5 

million will allow for the expansion of drug treatment capacity. 

Substance Abuse Treatment for Veterans.  With its $541.7 million FY 2012

request, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) operates a national network of

substance abuse treatment programs located in medical centers, residential

rehabilitation facilities, and outpatient clinics.  In light of the frequent co‐occurrence 

of substance use disorder problems with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), 

VHA is also assigning a full‐time substance use disorder specialist to each of its 

hospital‐level PTSD services or teams.   

Recovery Support

Coordinated after‐care, peer‐led support, and other recovery support services help people 

build or re‐build a lifestyle of health and wellness in addition to non‐use. Effective recovery 

support programs also help people gain skills that lead to self‐sufficient and productive 

lives without using substances.

The Second Chance Act shifts priority to rehabilitating parolees. Re‐entry

programs combine treatment, job training, employment assistance, and life skills

training. Long‐term treatment is available upon release. $50.0 million of the funding 

requested for Second Chance Act programs is scored for budget purposes as drug‐

related. Additionally, the Administration supports drug testing and sanctions for 

violations, approaches that have been shown to deter drug use and re‐incarceration 

among the community correctional population. 

Access to Recovery enables treatment­seeking populations to choose

their preferred treatment modality and ancillary services. Through an

individualized assessment and voucher system, comprehensive services are 

provided, ranging from housing, job training, and relapse prevention to child‐

care and transportation. The FY 2012 Budget requests $98.5 million to 

support selected ongoing programs and approximately 30 new grants. More 

information is available online at: www.atr.samhsa.gov.

ONDCP seeks to foster healthy individuals and safe communities by effectively

leading the Nation’s effort to reduce drug use and its consequences.

May 2011