PUBLIC-HEALTH AND ADDICTION - PREVENTION

The complex nature of drug and alcohol addiction has meant that no sin gle intervention measure, whether preventive or treatment, is singled out as effective in preventing or reducing the harm associated with us e and misuse at individual or community level. A comprehensive public health approach based on many strands to tackle the diverse aspects of use and misuse is more promising. This review examines the various el ements of such an approach, pointing out the direction for future poli cies. (C) 1998 Rapid Science Ltd.