Journal Article

Peter Bourne’s Drug Policy and the Perils of a Public Health Ethic, 1976–1978

Clark, Claire D., Dufton, Emily

2015

Overview

As President Jimmy Carter’s advisor for health issues, Peter Bourne promoted a rational and comprehensive drug strategy that combined new supply-side efforts to prevent drug use with previously established demand-side addiction treatment programs. Using a public health ethic that allowed the impact of substances on overall population health to guide drug control, Bourne advocated for marijuana decriminalization as well as increased regulations for barbiturates. A hostile political climate, a series of rumors, and pressure from both drug legalizers and prohibitionists caused Bourne to resign in disgrace in 1978. We argue that Bourne’s critics used his own public health framework to challenge him, describe the health critiques that contributed to Bourne’s resignation, and present the story of his departure as a cautionary tale for today’s drug policy reformers.

• Publisher: American Public Health Association
• Subject: Addictions / Addictive behaviors / Barbiturates / Behavior / Bourne Peter / Cannabis / Carter, Jimmy / Decriminalization / Drug abuse / Drug addiction / Drug legalization / Drug overdose / Drug policy / Drug use / Drugs / Emergency medical care / Ethics / Fines & penalties / Health education / Health Policy - history / History, 20th Century / Humans / Interest groups / Legalization / Legislation, Drug - history / Marijuana / Political activism / Prescription drugs / Prescription Drugs - history / Prevention / Prevention programs / Public health / Public Health - ethics / Public Health - history / Public Health Then and Now / Regulation / Resignations / Rumors / Substance abuse treatment / Substance-Related Disorders - history / Substance-Related Disorders - prevention & control / Treatment programs / United States