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and the Overdose Epidemic | The White House. The Administration’s Inaugural National Drug Control Strategy: A Comprehensive Path Forward The first-year policy priorities served as the basis for President Biden’s inaugural National Drug Control Strategy, which builds upon the significant actions taken during the Administration's first year to reduce overdose deaths and improve the way this Nation approaches drug use and its harms. Specifically, this Strategy seeks to build the foundation for the Nation’s work to reduce drug overdose deaths by addressing both the demand and supply sides of drug policy. This includes « « « « « « 10 NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL STRATEGY building a stronger substance use disorder treatment infrastructure and reducing the supply of illicit substances through targeted law enforcement actions and commercially disrupting criminal organizations by undermining the illicit finance networks that make drug trafficking both possible and profitable. Additional top priorities include expanding evidence-based harm reduction strategies to meet people where they are, preventing drug use from beginning, building a recovery-ready Nation, addressing drug policy challenges in criminal justice, and improving data systems and research that guide drug policy development. This Strategy charts a comprehensive path forward beyond what past federal drug policies have attempted. The increased focus on improving racial equity, which has been a longstanding problem in drug policy affecting both public health and public safety, is long overdue. The new focus on evidence-based harm reduction addresses a historic gap in past U.S. drug policy. The renewed focus on collaboration across public health and public safety has implications for every community in the Nation. Each chapter of this Strategy supports saving lives with specific principles and action items for Federal agencies and departments to lead: Prevention and Early Intervention Adolescence is a critical risk period for substance use initiation and adverse outcomes related to substance use, particularly as drug use has been found to escalate between ages 12 and 19.3 The goal of substance use prevention efforts is to prevent and/or delay the first use of substances. Research shows that early age of onset is an important predictor for the development of a substance use disorder later in life.4,5 Further, research shows that prevention interventions can have positive long-term effects in reducing substance use.6,7 Recognizing that preventing or delaying initiation of substance use can confer important health and social benefits, the BidenHarris Administration is focused on addressing the social factors that put some youth at increased risk for substance use, preventing use before it starts, and avoiding the escalation of use during the most critical period for substance use initiation. Harm Reduction Harm reduction is an approach that emphasizes working directly with people who use drugs to prevent overdose and infectious disease transmission, improve the physical, mental, and social wellbeing of those served, and offer flexible options for accessing substance use disorder treatment and other health care services. In other words, harm reduction is people-centered. It means helping people who use drugs access services they need to stay alive. It means building trust with them so that when they wish to seek help, they know where to turn. Specifically, the Biden-Harris Administration’s focus on harm reduction includes naloxone, drug test strips, and syringe services programs. Syringe services programs are community-based programs that can provide a range of services, including links to substance use disorder treatment; access to and disposal of sterile syringes and injection equipment; and vaccination, testing, and links to care and treatment for infectious diseases. Syringe services programs can be a critical intervention to reduce overdose deaths and communicable disease. Access to these Focus Area: Expanding access to naloxone, an opioid overdose reversal medication, which could save tens of thousands of lives in a short period of time. « « « « « « NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL STRATEGY 11 proven, lifesaving interventions8 should not depend on where someone lives and instead should be available to all who need them. The types of interventions proposed in this Strategy will save lives, improve health, and likely have a favorable economic benefit to society. Substance Use Disorder Treatment According to the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), nearly all of the almost 20 million people living in the United States who need treatment are not currently receiving addiction treatment services.9 People with SUD face prejudice, stigma, and discrimination, and this may especially be true for Black individuals seeking treatment.10 Stigmatizing attitudes towards drug use and people who use drugs exist throughout our society, including in health care.11 It is vital that the Nation reduces the barriers to substance use treatment so everyone who needs it can access it. Similarly, important is building a system of care that proactively seeks, diagnoses, and treats those who need it rather than waiting until they interact with the criminal justice system or experience an overdose. Treatment works and tens of millions of people in 

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