The RAND 'think tank' Corporation

According to the RAND Corporation (Research ANd Development) in 1994, a study claimed it is 23 times more cost-effective, when it comes to reducing consumption of drugs, to treat heavy cocaine users than trying to cut the supply source. Useful study to refer to when making a case to sustain the drug trade.

There are always long queues of desperate (drug free) new users coming through the door so that while diverting resources to treating the current stock of problems the new stock mounts up as the production and supply remains healthy.

Common sense dictates (to me) that kill the source, then deal with the problem. Classic case of seeming to do something, but in effect doing nothing about the problem.

Deal with the root of a problem and the symptoms go away. Treat the symptoms and the problem will return. Probably worse.

ie. Healthier trade, more lucrative.

Wonderful stuff if I had an interest in making this evil trade grow and grow.