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building an awareness of drug-related issues and creating a compendium of evidence-based solutions, policy makers and practitioners can select proven policies and interventions that are appropriate for contexts and populations to which they are applied. Two decades ago, ONDCP commissioned the National Research Council (NRC) to review data sources and research needs to inform drug policy.10 Some of the NRC report findings remain relevant today: “Overall the committee finds that the existing drug use monitoring systems and programs of research are useful for some important purposes, yet they are strikingly inadequate to support the full range of policy decisions that the nation must make. The central problem is a woeful lack of investment in programs of data collection and empirical research…”. 416 10At that time, ONDCP had a budget line item for policy research which enabled the commissioning of such a study. The policy research budget line was last authorized in FY 2011 for approximately $1.3 million. « « « « « « NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL STRATEGY 107 Considering the costs of drug use to our society, which have vastly increased due to the opioid epidemic over the past decade, our data systems have not kept up and lack the timeliness, scope and precision required for the most impactful national response. As we assess the data and research landscape to address the Administration’s commitment to implementing evidence-based drug policy, we have much more work to do to close information and knowledge gaps. This chapter focuses on three themes: strengthening existing data systems, establishing new data systems and analytical methods to fill gaps, and enhancing the utility of drug data for policymakers, program developers and administrators, practitioners, and researchers. It concludes with recommendations for sustaining data systems and research to inform drug control policy. Principle 1: Strengthen existing data systems Data on drug use and its correlates typically consist of primary data collected through mechanisms such as the federally-funded periodic national surveys, administrative data that contain drug-relevant information collected by government agencies in the course of performing their respective missions; and synthesized data, where information from multiple sources are compiled and analyzed together to answer specific research or policy questions. These data form the foundation of what we know about trends, activities, and outcomes and how we know it. They also determine the limitations of our quantitative knowledge and understanding. Data also allow us to measure how patterns and consequences change over time. Hence, they are critical indicators of the extent to which policies may or may not be making progress on their goals. The Strategy’s Performance Review System (PRS) report—with its own specific requirements— utilizes specific measures to track progress, and these are subject to the same challenges in data availability, quality, and timeliness as outlined in this chapter. In addition, there is a statutory requirement for a Data Plan,11 the development of which is addressed separately (see Appendix A). We envision a future where drug use behavior and its consequences, including overdoses, drug arrests, drug-related communicable diseases, drugged driving and workplace drug use, and the availability and use of prevention, treatment, harm reduction and recovery support services are tracked in real time or as near to real time as possible, while protecting individual liberty and privacy. Only in this way can we be able to continually inform an addiction management infrastructure that is transparent, accountable and responsive in making the important changes needed to save lives. During the COVID-19 pandemic several organizations demonstrated that with the proper policies and resources, national, and even global, data on the numbers and rates of infections, deaths, and vaccinations could be collected, analyzed, and shared in near real time while safeguarding personal information. The same approach can be applied to monitoring, reporting on, and addressing drug use and its consequences by implementing policies that improve the timeliness and completeness of data such as making drug overdose a reportable condition. Additionally, we envision a future that more fully exploits the data we currently collect. In particular, the intelligence community and law enforcement at the federal, state and local levels collect volumes of data and, while these data are gathered for specific purposes, when combined they can illuminate criminal networks and support targeted interdictions and investigations to 11 21 U.S.C. § 1705(c)(1)(M), National Drug Control Strategy « « « « « « 108 NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL STRATEGY disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking networks. Mechanisms for information sharing across the intelligence community and law enforcement is necessary along with resources devoted to aggregating and communicating these data in real time. When appropriate, actionable intelligence should also be shared with public health agencies. Together, these will help reduce the availability of illicit drugs and enable health care practitioners and public safety personnel to stay ahead of potential drug overdose outbreaks. A. Identify and address shortcomings in existing data systems. 

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