The majority of more than 300 police chiefs interviewed for a report released this week have labeled the drug war a failure.

The report, "Drugs and Crime Across America: Police Chiefs Speak Out" was commissioned by DrugStrategies and the Police Foundation. Even from the beginning of their foreword, the report's authors conclude that a punitive approach to drug use is simply not working.

Most police chiefs believe that law enforcement has been largely unsuccessful in reducing the drug problem despite making drugs a priority for more than a decade. This is true not only for big city chiefs but also for chiefs in small and medium-size towns, where drug abuse has reached crisis proportions in recent years.

The researchers interviewed police chiefs by phone in cities and towns of various sizes. More chiefs said drug use is a serious problem in their communities than said so in a similar survey 8 years ago. The report also shows widespread consensus that cash-strapped law enforcement does not have the right resources or approach to cutting down on drug use.

Download the full report here.