“Current treatment approaches emphasize that addiction must be treated in the same way as other chronic diseases.”

—Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV Text Revision

“One of the worst miscalculations of the idea that addiction and alcoholism are diseases is the notion that substance abuse can be treated away.”

—Stanton Peele

In November 2000, California voters passed Proposition 36, known formally as the Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act, by a 61 to 39 percent margin. The act allows people who have been convicted of first or second time nonviolent, simple drug possession the opportunity to receive substance abuse treatment in lieu of incarceration. The proposition allocates $120 million annually for five and one half years to pay for treatment services. Studies have suggested that up to thirty-six thousand nonviolent users could be affected each year and that the initiative could save the state and local...