Meeting the Challenges of Substance Misuse: Making Inroads One Step at a Time. (Editorial) (Editorial‪)‬

AN ONGOING PERVASIVE CHALLENGE The matrix of substance misuse knows no ethical, social, gender, racial, economic, or geographical borders (Abbott, 2000, 2002). When pondering the enormity of its challenge, it is easy to describe its magnitude as being even more monumental than that confronting little Hans trying to stop the force of the ocean by putting his tiny finger in a hole in the dike. Its treatment at times is deemed as being more difficult than managing to dance on the head of a pin. Despite the power of the water or the need for skillful balance, we cannot become discouraged by its strength or the pervasive need for coordination. As Glen Hanson (2002a), acting director, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), noted in a recent editorial, substance abuse demands a multifaceted approach: