title: Peter Bourne's drug policy and the perils of a public health ethic, 1976-1978.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: At the time of this work, Claire D. Clark was with the Institute of Liberal Arts, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, and the John P. McGovern Center for Humanities and Ethics, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston. Emily Dufton was with the Department of American Studies, George Washington University, Washington, DC.
authors.forename: Claire D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dufton
mesh_terms: D002188:Cannabis; D006291:Health Policy / Q000266:history*; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D007880:Legislation, Drug / Q000266:history; D055553:Prescription Drugs / Q000266:history; D011634:Public Health / Q000941:ethics / Q000266:history*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000266:history / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D055553:Prescription Drugs