Comparative review of reporting and registration legislation for treatment of drug and alcohol dependent persons

This paper reviews national legislation on the early identification and intervention for the treatment of drug and alcohol dependent persons and the use of reporting and central registration as one means of accomplishing treatment goals.Legislative requirements for the reporting and central registration of drug or alcohol dependents were found in 22 of the 43 countries surveyed by the World Health Organization in a multinational comparative legislation study (WHO, in press) on the treatment of drug and alcohol dependents.Reporting and central registry laws, and the systems implementing these laws, can be important and effective components of treatment programs for drug and alcohol dependence.