Federal Drug War Spending vs Past Year Use Rates
Sources: ONDCP National Drug Control Strategy
National Survey on Drug Use and Health
| Total Federal Drug War Budget versus Past Year Use of Marijuana Cocaine and Heroin | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Original Budget (billions) | Adjusted Budget (billions) | Marijuana | Cocaine | Heroin |
| 1981 | 1.5 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 1982 | 1.7 | -- | 29,685,000 | 10,458,000 | 323,000 |
| 1983 | 2.0 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 1984 | 2.4 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 1985 | 2.8 | -- | 26,145,000 | 9,839,000 | 347,000 |
| 1986 | 2.9 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 1987 | 4.8 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 1988 | 4.7 | -- | 19,492,000 | 7,151,000 | 508,000 |
| 1989 | 6.7 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 1990 | 9.8 | -- | 18,931,000 | 5,442,000 | 443,000 |
| 1991 | 10.9 | -- | 18,067,000 | 5,284,000 | 359,000 |
| 1992 | 11.9 | -- | 16,322,000 | 4,332,000 | 304,000 |
| 1993 | 12.2 | -- | 17,510,000 | 3,947,000 | 230,000 |
| 1994 | 12.2 | -- | 17,813,000 | 3,664,000 | 281,000 |
| 1995 | 13.3 | 7.0 | 17,755,000 | 3,664,000 | 428,000 |
| 1996 | 13.4 | 6.8 | 18,398,000 | 4,033,000 | 455,000 |
| 1997 | 15.2 | 8.1 | 19,446,000 | 4,169,000 | 597,000 |
| 1998 | 15.8 | 8.2 | 18,710,000 | 3,811,000 | 253,000 |
| 1999 | 17.7 | 9.8 | 19,102,000 | 3,742,000 | 353,000 |
| 2000 | 18.5 | 10.7 | 18,589,000 | 3,328,000 | 308,000 |
| 2001 | 18.1 | 10.4 | 21,086,000 | 4,186,000 | 456,000 |
| 2002 | 18.8 | 11.5 | 25,755,000 | 5,902,000 | 404,000 |
| 2003 | -- | 11.4 | 25,231,000 | 5,908,000 | 314,000 |
| 2004 | -- | 11.9 | 25,451,000 | 5,658,000 | 398,000 |
| Note: The ONDCP changed their accounting practices in determining the levels of total federal drug war spending. The Drug Policy Alliance wrote a critique of the new calculation methods here. |
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Latest complete use rates data: NSDUH (12 and older) or MTF (HS, College, Young Adult) |
| Spending versus Lifetime Use | Spending versus Past Month Use | Spending versus New Use |
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