U.S. Drug Czar Gil Kerlikowske discusses the Obama administration's newly released National Drug Control Strategy, which calls for treating drug addiction as a public health issue, and not only as a criminal matter. He speaks at the Center for American Progress.
President Obama is requesting over $10 billion for drug education programs and expanded access to drug rehabilitation for substance abusers.
Mr. Kerlikowske told the audience that the past few years has seen a reduction in the use of cocaine and methamphetamine, and that the White House has approved elimination of mandatory sentencing guidelines that disproportionately affected minorities.