The Administration's inaugural National Drug Control Strategy, published in 2010, represented a new direction in our efforts to reduce illicit drug use and its consequences in the United States. The spirit and substance of that Strategy reflected the unique nature in which it was developed-at the President's direction, the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) engaged in an unprecedented consulta-tion process, collecting input from Congress, Federal, state, local, tribal, territorial, and international partners, nongovernmental organizations, and the American public. This document, the 2012 National Drug Control Strategy, incorporates input from a diverse range of stakeholders while also reflecting implementation progress as reported by dozens of Federal agencies regarding the action items for which they are responsible. This Strategy reflects new developments in our efforts to reduce drug use and its consequences, but our goal remains the same: a 15 percent reduction in the rate of drug use and similar reductions in drug use consequences over the course of five years (2010-2015).To achieve this goal, we will continue to pursue a balanced approach that brings all sectors of society together in a national effort to improve public health and safety. Through community-based programs and early intervention in health care settings, we will work to prevent illicit drug use and addiction before their onset and bring more Americans in need of treatment into contact with the appropriate level of care. We will continue to build on the Administration's progress in reforming the justice system, ensuring that laws are applied fairly and effectively-protecting public safety while also ensuring that drug-involved offenders have the opportunity to end their drug use and rebuild their lives. We will continue to counter drug production and trafficking within the United States and will implement new strategies to secure our borders against illicit drug flows. And we will work with international partners to reduce drug production and trafficking and strengthen rule of law, democratic institutions, citizen security, and respect for human rights around the world.