Congressional Research Service Reports - 60 Matching Results
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- High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) Program
- This report provides an overview of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program, including how areas are designated as part of a HIDTA, and program coordination and funding. It also examines issues that policymakers may consider as they debate the future of the program: whether the county is still an appropriate unit of inclusion, whether the criteria remain adequate, whether the program is effective, whether its tangential effects can be measured, whether the current bounds on funds are still appropriate, and which federal entity may be best suited to administer the program.
- Prescription Drug Abuse
- This report examines prescription drug abuse in the United States. An estimated 6.8 million individuals currently abuse prescription drugs in the United States. Unlike policy on street drugs, federal policy on prescription drug abuse is complicated by the need to maintain access to prescription controlled substances (PCS) for legitimate medical use. The federal government has several roles in reducing prescription drug abuse.
- Marijuana: Medical and Retail -- An Abbreviated View of Selected Legal Issues
- This report discusses the federal law regarding marijuana that is classified as a Schedule I Controlled Substance. The federal Controlled Substances Act (CSA) outlaws the possession, cultivation, or distribution of marijuana except for authorized research.
- Marijuana: Medical and Retail -- Selected Legal Issues
- This report discusses state medical marijuana laws that grants registered patients, their doctors, and providers immunity from the consequences of state law.
- Active Opioid Legislation in the House: In Brief
- This report briefly summarizes opioid-related bills that were considered during "Opioid Week" (the week of May 9, 2016) The summaries in this report may be useful illustrations of the range of approaches Members of Congress have proposed to address the problem of opioid addiction.
- Marijuana: Medical and Retail-- Selected Legal Issues
- This report discusses the federal Controlled Substances Act (CSA) as it pertains to marijuana. The CSA outlaws the possession, cultivation, and distribution of marijuana except for authorized research. More than 20 states have regulatory schemes that allow possession, cultivation, and distribution of marijuana for medicinal purposes. The U.S. Constitution's Supremacy Clause preempts any state law that conflicts with federal law.
- The Marijuana Policy Gap and the Path Forward
- This report describes the federal response to state actions to decriminalize or legalize marijuana. It includes general information about marajuana and trends among states, the federal response, a discussion of the implications of legalization, and selected issues.
- Constitutional Analysis of Suspicionless Drug Testing Requirements for the Receipt of Governmental Benefits
- This report gives an overview of the issues related to federal or state laws that condition the initial or ongoing receipt of governmental benefits on passing drug tests. These regulations are vulnerable to constitutional challenge, most often due to issues of personal privacy and Fourth Amendment protections against "unreasonable searches."
- The SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act (P.L. 115-271): Food and Drug Administration and Controlled Substance Provisions
- This report summarizes the provisions in Title III--the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and Controlled Substance Provisions, as well as Section 4004 "Modernizing the Reporting Requirements of Biological and Biosimilar Products" in Title IV--Offsets.
- 2016 Rio Games: Anti-Doping Testing
- This report discusses the the anti-doping testing program during the 2016 Summer Olympics. Responsibility for the rests with the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The testing period began July 24, 2016, when the Olympic village opened, and continues through August 21, 2016, the date of the closing ceremony.
- Constitutional Analysis of Suspicionless Drug Testing Requirements for the Receipt of Governmental Benefits
- This report provides an overview of the Fourth Amendment in order to effectively evaluate the constitutionality of laws requiring suspicionless drug tests to receive governmental benefits. It then reviews five Supreme Court decisions that have evaluated these programs. The report concludes with a synthesis of the various factors that likely will be important to a future court's assessment of the constitutionality of these laws.
- Heroin Trafficking in the United States
- This report provides an overview of heroin trafficking into and within the United States. It includes a discussion of links between the trafficking of heroin and the illicit movement of related substances such as controlled prescription drugs and synthetic drugs like fentanyl. The report also outlines existing U.S. efforts to combat heroin trafficking and possible congressional considerations going forward.
- Constitutional Analysis of Suspicionless Drug Testing Requirements for the Receipt of Governmental Benefits
- This report gives an overview of the issues related to federal or state laws that condition the initial or ongoing receipt of governmental benefits on passing drug tests. These regulations are vulnerable to constitutional challenge, most often due to issues of personal privacy and Fourth Amendment protections against "unreasonable searches."
- Reauthorizing the Office of National Drug Control Policy: Issues for Consideration
- Report discussing the National Drug Control Strategy, the National Drug Control Budget, and the Office of National Drug Control Policy's (ONDCP) evaluation of the National Drug Control Strategy implementation. It also provides an analysis of selected legislative and oversight issues that Congress may consider when debating the reauthorization of ONDCP.
- Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs
- This report looks at ways that prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs), which maintain statewide electronic databases of prescriptions dispensed for controlled substances, can help to deter prescription drug misuse.
- Increase in Illicit Fentanyl Overdose Deaths
- This report discusses fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is 50-100 times more potent than morphine. The steep increase in overdose deaths involving fentanyl is seen as a "new chapter" in the opioid epidemic. Topics covered include the rise of fentanyl overdoses, availability of fentanyl, and policy considerations.
- The Opioid Epidemic and the Food and Drug Administration: Legal Authorities and Recent Agency Action
- This report focuses on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a key player in federal efforts to curb the opioid epidemic. It provides an overview of FDA's role in approving new prescription drugs, including challenges of approval and regulation of opioid products; addresses FDA's multifaceted approach in responding, including recent agency action; and concludes with a discussion of selected opioid-related legislation in the 115th Congress.
- Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs
- This report looks at ways that prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs), which maintain statewide electronic databases of prescriptions dispensed for controlled substances, can help to deter prescription drug misuse.
- The World Drug Problem: UNGA Convenes for a Special Session
- This report discusses the U.N. special session on the problem of drug abuse in the world. The interests and outcomes of the U.S. and U.N are also discussed.
- Drug Testing and Crime-Related Restrictions in TANF, SNAP, and Housing Assistance
- Report that describes and compares the drug- and crime-related policy restrictions contained in selected federal programs that provide assistance to low-income individuals and families: the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly Food Stamps), and the three primary federal housing assistance programs (the public housing program, the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program, and the project-based Section 8 rental assistance program).
- Legal Issues Relating to the Disposal of Dispensed Controlled Substances
- Prescription drug abuse is the second-most common form of illicit drug abuse among teenagers in the United States, trailing only marijuana use. Prescription drug abuse has become a particular concern amongst federal policymakers. This report discusses this issue, including related pieces of legislation such as the Controlled Substances Act, the Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act of 2010, and the proper way to dispose of controlled substances.
- Legal Issues Relating to the Disposal of Dispensed Controlled Substances
- This report describes an issue that is the fastest-growing drug problem in the country -- the intentional use of prescription drugs for non-medical purposes. It is the second-most common form of illicit drug abuse among teenagers in the United States behind marijuana use. Several bills have been introduced in the 111th Congress that would create a legal framework governing disposal of controlled substances that have been dispensed to patients.
- The World Drug Problem: UNGA Convenes for a Special Session
- This report briefly discusses the United Nations General Assembly's (UNGA) 2016 special session on "The World Drug Problem." It is the third time the UNGA will convene such a session on global drug issues.
- Buprenorphine and the Opioid Crisis: A Primer for Congress
- This report addresses questions policymakers may have about the effectiveness of the opioid addiction treatment drug buprenorphine, the demand for buprenorphine, and access to buprenorphine.
- Substance Abuse Prevention, Treatment, and Research Efforts in the Military
- This report discusses substance abuse trends in the military, efforts by the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to address the opioid crisis, and the main elements of DOD's substance abuse prevention, compliance, and disciplinary policies.
- The World Drug Problem: UNGA Convenes for a Special Session
- This report briefly discusses the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), which has convened in New York for a special session on "The World Drug Problem." It is the third time the UNGA will convene such a session on global drug issues. Previous special sessions on drugs were held in 1990 and 1998.
- The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016 (S. 524): Comparison of Senate- and House-Passed Versions
- This report discusses selected differences and similarities between the Senate- and House-passed versions of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016 (CARA; S. 524), which aims to address the problem of opioid addiction in the United States. The two versions of the bill differ substantially. The scope of the differences may be illustrated by their structures: The Senate bill has 28 sections organized in 8 titles, whereas the House bill has 69 sections organized in 18 titles.
- Legal Authorities Under the Controlled Substances Act to Combat the Opioid Crisis
- This report discusses legal authorities available to the federal government under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) that could be used to combat the opioid epidemic. The report then examines DEA initiatives and actions taken, pursuant to its legal authorities under the CSA, which specifically target the abuse of opioids. It concludes by discussing selected opioid-related legislative proposals in the 115th Congress that would amend the CSA.
- Opioid Treatment Programs and Related Federal Regulations
- This report provides information on federal regulations regarding treatment for opioid addiction, including medication-assisted treatment (MAT), opioid treatment programs (OTPs), and DATA-waived providers (DWPs).
- Drug Offenses: Maximum Fines and Terms of Imprisonment for Violation of the Federal Controlled Substances Act and Related Laws
- This is a chart of the maximum fines and terms of imprisonment that may be imposed as a consequence of conviction for violation of the federal Controlled Substances Act (CSA) and other drug supply and drug demand related laws. It lists the penalties for: heroin, cocaine, crack, PCP, LSD, marihuana (marijuana), amphetamine, methamphetamine, listed (precursor) chemicals, paraphernalia, date rape drugs, rave drugs, designer drugs, ecstasy, drug kingpins, as well as the other substances including narcotics and opiates assigned to Schedule I, Schedule II, Schedule III, Schedule IV, and Schedule V of the Controlled Substances Act and the Controlled Substances Import and Export Act (Title II and Title III of the Comprehensive Drug Abuse and Control Act).
- Drug Offenses: Maximum Fines and Terms of Imprisonment for Violation of the Federal Controlled Substances Act and Related Laws
- This report is a chart of the maximum fines and terms of imprisonment that may be imposed as a consequence of conviction for violation of the federal Controlled Substances Act (CSA) and other drug supply and drug demand related laws.
- Drug Testing and Crime-Related Restrictions in TANF, SNAP, and Housing Assistance
- This report describes and compares the drug- and crime-related policy restrictions contained in selected federal programs that provide assistance to low-income individuals and families: the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly Food Stamps), and the three primary federal housing assistance programs (the public housing program, the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program, and the project-based Section 8 rental assistance program).
- Federal Cocaine Sentencing Disparity: Sentencing Guidelines, Jurisprudence, and Legislation
- This report discusses legislation and several court cases to examine the changing nature of Crack Cocaine penalties in comparison to powder cocaine. Until 2005, the Guidelines were binding on federal courts: the judge had discretion to sentence a defendant, but only within the narrow sentencing range that the Guidelines provided. In its 2005 opinion United States v. Booker, the Supreme Court declared that the Guidelines must be considered advisory rather than mandatory, in order to comply with the Constitution. Instead of being bound by the Guidelines, sentencing courts must treat the federal guidelines as just one of a number of sentencing factors (which include the need to avoid undue sentencing disparity).
- International Drug Control Policy
- This report discusses the scope of the international drug control problem, current measures in place. It includes sections that discuss: the global scope of the problem, strategic guidance, overall U.S. drug control funding, U.S. assistance for international counternarcotics programs, policy issues, and conclusions.
- Responding to the Opioid Epidemic: Legal Developments and FDA's Role
- This report discusses the opioid epidemic in the U.S. and the role of the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in helping end the epidemic. The report provides an overview of FDA's existing authorities, the historical context for the opioid epidemic, and the agency's current plan for combatting the opioid epidemic, concluding with an examination of the broader legal questions concerning the crisis.
- Federal Support for Drug Courts: In Brief
- This report explains the concept of a "drug court,", how the term and programs have expanded to include wider meanings and serve additional subgroups, how the federal government supports drug courts, and research on the impact of drug courts on offenders and court systems. In addition, it briefly discusses how drug courts might provide an avenue for addressing the opioid epidemic and other emerging drug issues that Congress may consider.
- International Drug Control Policy
- This report provides an overview of U.S. international drug control policy. It describes major international counternarcotics initiatives and evaluates the broad array of U.S. drug control policy tools currently in use. The report also considers alternative counterdrug policy approaches to current initiatives and raises several counterdrug policy issues and considerations for policy makers.
- Suicide, PTSD, and Substance Use Among OEF/OIF Veterans Using VA Health Care: Facts and Figures
- This brief report addresses three relevant topics that affect veterans: suicide, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance use disorders.
- Federal Crime Control Issues in the 111th Congress
- This report aggregates various issues surrounding federal crime control into five broad themes: violent crime control, combating fraud and theft, drug control, sentencing reform, and state and local justice assistance. Within these themes, the report examines more specific issues that confronted the 111th Congress. Issues discussed under the umbrella of violent crime control include hate crimes, gangs, and gun control. Issues related to the federal government's efforts to combat fraud and theft include identity theft and organized retail crime.
- Federal Domestic Illegal Drug Enforcement Efforts: Are They Working?
- This report examines the federal drug enforcement data reported annually by key agencies charged with enforcing federal drug control laws. This report provides background and an overview of current federal drug control efforts and outcomes.
- The Opioid Epidemic and Federal Efforts to Address It: Frequently Asked Questions
- This report answers common questions that have arisen as drug overdose deaths in the United States continue to increase. It does not provide a comprehensive overview of opioid abuse as a public health or criminal justice issue. The report is divided into the following sections: Overview of Opioid Abuse; Overview of Opioid Supply; Select Federal Agencies and Programs that Address Opioid Abuse; Recent Legislation; and Opioid Abuse and State Policies.
- International Drug Control Policy: Background and U.S. Responses
- The report provides background information on drug cultivation, drug trafficking and the consequences of drug trade. This report discusses challenges created by the global illegal drug trade, including: undermining political and regional stability, bolstering the role and capabilities of transnational criminal organizations in the drug trade, and the burden caused by drug use an addition on local communities and economic development. In addition, this report discusses U.S. policy efforts to thwart illegal drug trade.
- International Drug Control Policy: Background and U.S. Responses
- The global illegal drug trade represents a multi-dimensional challenge that has implications for U.S. national interests as well as the international community. This report discusses U.S. international policy frameworks and approaches in response to the issue.
- International Drug Control Policy: Background and U.S. Responses
- This report discusses challenges created by the global illegal drug trade, including: undermining political and regional stability, bolstering the role and capabilities of transnational criminal organizations in the drug trade, and the burden caused by drug use an addition on local communities and economic development. In addition, this report discusses U.S. policy efforts to thwart illegal drug trade.
- Extraterritorial Application of American Criminal Law
- Crime is ordinarily proscribed, tried, and punished according to the laws of the place where it occurs. American criminal law applies beyond the geographical confines of the United States, however, under certain limited circumstances. A surprising number of federal criminal statutes have extraterritorial application, but prosecutions have been few. This may be because when extraterritorial criminal jurisdiction does exist, practical and legal complications, and sometimes diplomatic considerations, may counsel against its exercise.
- Extraterritorial Application of American Criminal Law
- Crime is ordinarily proscribed, tried, and punished according to the laws of the place where it occurs. American criminal law applies beyond the geographical confines of the United States, however, under certain limited circumstances. A surprising number of federal criminal statutes have extraterritorial application, but prosecutions have been few. This may be because when extraterritorial criminal jurisdiction does exist, practical and legal complications, and sometimes diplomatic considerations, may counsel against its exercise.
- U.S.-Mexican Security Cooperation: the Mérida Initiative and Beyond
- This report looks at the funding and Congressional oversight for this the joint U.S.-Mexico effort to curb drug trafficking and violence via the Initiative.
- U.S.-Mexican Security Cooperation: The Mérida Initiative and Beyond
- This report provides a framework for examining the current status and future prospects for U.S.- Mexican security cooperation. It begins with a brief discussion of the threat that drug trafficking and related crime and violence pose to both nations, followed by an analysis of the evolution of the Mérida Initiative. The report then provides an overview of the Peña Nieto government's security strategy and how it is affecting the Mérida Initiative. The report then examines key aspects of the current U.S.-Mexican security strategy and concludes by raising policy issues that may affect bilateral efforts.
- U.S.-Mexican Security Cooperation: the Mérida Initiative and Beyond
- This report provides a framework for examining the current status and future prospects for U.S.- Mexican security cooperation. It begins with a brief discussion of the threat that drug trafficking and related crime and violence pose to both nations, followed by an analysis of the evolution of the Mérida Initiative. The report then provides an overview of the Peña Nieto government's security strategy and how it is affecting the Mérida Initiative. The report then examines key aspects of the current U.S.-Mexican security strategy and concludes by raising policy issues that may affect bilateral efforts.
- U.S.-Mexican Security Cooperation: The Mérida Initiative and Beyond
- This report provides a framework for examining the current status and future prospects for U.S.- Mexican security cooperation. It begins with a brief discussion of the threat that drug trafficking and related crime and violence pose to both nations, followed by an analysis of the evolution of the Mérida Initiative. The report then provides an overview of the Peña Nieto government's security strategy and how it is affecting the Mérida Initiative. The report then examines key aspects of the current U.S.-Mexican security strategy and concludes by raising policy issues that may affect bilateral efforts.