On Aug. 31, President Trump proclaimed that September 2017 is National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month. To that end, he wants:

• To “emphasize to all those suffering that recovery is possible.”

• To “remember those who have bravely conquered their addiction.”

• To “pray for those currently suffering so they may, through effective treatment and the strength of family and friends, transform their lives.”

• To “thank the family members, friends, and healthcare providers who provide much-needed assistance, encouragement, and love to support Americans in recovery.”

• To “call upon the people of the United States to observe this month with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.”

That’s all very “kumbaya,” but did he call for anything specific in this proclamation? Maybe to fulfill his campaign promises to make it easier to get existing and create new “recovery medications,” encourage the expansion of drug courts and places to get drug treatment? Or maybe to make it easier to test marijuana and other psychoactive drugs that have shown some promise for heroin and opioid replacement and/or drug rehab by taking them off the restrictive Schedule I?

No. Of his pre-election promises on drug abuse, the only one he addressed is: “stop the flow of illegal drugs into the country.” To this end he has “requested $2.6 billion in my 2018 budget proposal for border security and infrastructure that will improve our ability to protect Americans and the homeland from the dangers of drug trafficking.”

Yes, stopping drugs from entering the country is one part of reducing substance use disorder, but there are other parts. One is treating the addicts who are already addicted. To do that, we need

• More substance use disorder treatment centers.

• More affordable treatment.

• New treatments, including safer, less-prone-to-abuse maintenance and replacement medications.

Stopping import or smuggling of drugs without improving access to and number of treatments is doomed to failure. Alternative drugs, domestic production and continued (though more violent) smuggling are inevitable. Prohibition didn’t stop alcohol consumption.