Recommendations for improving drug treatment.

Recognizing that drug use is both chronic and relapsing once an individual is addicted, and that treatment is effective in reducing drug use/misuse, improving drug misuse treatment is examined and research as well as practice recommendations are presented. Drug misuse treatment is now recognized in the United States to meet the expanding drug use problem and for reducing the spread of HIV. With that background, the current status of drug misuse treatment is reviewed, clinical issues are emphasized, and policy issues are noted. Recommendations include the need for uniform funding, linkage with community agencies, technology transfer, training, and expanding research and evaluation efforts.