## Treatment

#### Drug treatment from a public health approach functions far more successfully at reducing drug addiction and abuse



*   [Chandler et al. 09](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2681083/)
    *   A **META-ANALYSIS** of **78** comparison-group community-based drug treatment studies
    *   Treatment is up to 1.8 times **[180%] better** in reducing drug use than the usual alternatives.
    *   _“Research has consistently shown that community-based drug abuse treatment can **reduce drug use** and **drug-related criminal behavior.”**_
*   [de Andrade et al. 18](https://academic.oup.com/epirev/article/40/1/121/4992689)
    *   _“Therapeutic communities are **effective in reducing recidivism** and, to a lesser extent substance use after release.”_
    *   _“Opioid maintenance treatment is effective in **reducing the risk of drug use** after release from prison for opioid users.”_
    *   Both types of intervention are further enhanced by care after prison.
*   [Justice Policy Institute: McVay et al. 04](http://www.justicepolicy.org/uploads/justicepolicy/documents/04-01_rep_mdtreatmentorincarceration_ac-dp.pdf) 
    * Offenders who went through treatment showed a nearly **two-thirds** decline in overall arrests and an over **50% drop** in drug possession arrests