The goal of reducing drug abuse has shaped some of the U.S. government's most uncompromising policies. From the strict surveillance of the U.S.- Mexican border to national antidrug advertising campaigns, federal efforts to reduce drug abuse have relentlessly targeted the supply and demand of illicit drugs. Many of these tactics, including the harsh punishment of drug dealers and habitual drug users, are punitive in nature.

However, the argument that drug abuse is a public health issue, rather than a criminal activity, has renewed the debate over existing drug policies. For instance, the theory that drug addiction is a neurological disorder, not a moral flaw, has caused some to view addicts less as criminals and more as sick individuals who need treatment and compassion. To this end, voters in Arizona and California recently approved measures that give minor drug offenders the choice between rehabilitation and prison...