Philosophies of Substance Control

CONCEPT	KEY CHARACTERISTICS
ZERO TOLERANCE	Originating from the "Broken Windows" theory, zero tolerance specifies the same punishment for minor offenses as it does for major offenses and applies theses laws to either a certain group (adolescents and teenagers; people of color; people of a cetain socioeconomic status; people with disabilities; former criminals, etc.) or to everyone. Zero tolerance guidelines first applied to drug abuse during the 1980s when it was thought that a stiff sentence for a minor offense would show the rest of the American public that their government meant business and everyone would stop using drugs. Instead, there was a an increase in the number of drug users and other conventional crimes escalated sharply because the penalty for conventional crimes was much less than drug crimes. As a result, a successful attorney can enter a plea bargain for the lesser crimes and have the judge drop the drug charges. However, for those who were merely arrested for drug charges, the result was not always as favorable. Today, society considers zero tolerance a mistake, even though there are many still serving time. The only way these individuals will be released from prison is if there is a sudden economic disaster in the US.
GRADUALISM	some interpret this as a form of harm reduction. In it's simplest form, gradualism stretches the time period that a person may have to get off a drug. In other words, you can still do drugs in the program, naturally, this method is intended to wean individuals off a certain drug. It does not work that well since, like zero tolerance, it is focused on complete and total abstinence as the goal.
HARM REDUCTION	During the 1990s, harm reduction was introduced to Europe. It is the first healthy approach that allows one to avoid problems associate with overdosing. The principal behind harm reduction is to eliminate the dangers associate with drugs.
LIMITED TOLERANCE	There are some who believe that society can not always tolerate every drug. Heroin is sometimes the drug where many draw the link,
PROHIBITION	Stopping something that is already being produced or in motion is "prohibition." During the 1920s, prohibition of alcohol led to products that were far more deadly.
TOTAL TOLERANCE	Total Tolerance covers the entire spectrum. It means a society that is healthy and trusting enough to allow the people the right to do what they want. Total tolerance can mean total freedom. Total tolerance is applied in closed situations. For example, a psychological program that costs $200,000 a day will bring rich folk into an environment where they might act out their fears and aggression so they can feel important and loved. (Anyone who can afford to pay $200,000/day should already know they are loved. If not, it would seem like a hopeless case.)
PR0-POSITIVE CHOICE	Like Total Tolerance, pro-positive choice covers everything. The difference is that PPC allows select decision-making.