A report by a global commission on drug policy declares flatly that the global war on drugs has failed, despite harsh measures against traffickers and years of vast expenditures to stamp out narcotics trafficking and use.

Update at 11:15 a.m. ET: In response to the report, the White House Drug Policy says the adminstration efforts to reduce drug use "are not born out out of a culture war or drug war mentality, but out of the recognition that drug use strains our economy, health, and public safety."

The White House also says:

Overall drug use in the United States has dropped substantially over the past thirty years. The number of Americans using illicit drugs today is roughly half what it was in the late 70's.

There has been a 46% drop in current cocaine use among young adults over the past five years, and a 68% drop in the rate of people testing positive for cocaine in the workplace since 2006.

The potential production capacity for pure cocaine in Colombia has declined from an estimated 700 metric tons of potential cocaine production in 2001 to only 280 metric tons in 2009 —a 60% drop.

Legalization remains a non-starter "because research shows that illegal drug use is associated with voluntary treatment admissions, fatal drugged driving accidents, mental illness, and emergency room admissions."

Earlier posting: "The global war on drugs has failed, with devastating consequences for individuals and societies around the world," says the Report of the Global Commission on Drug Policy in its opening statement. "Fifty years after the initiation of the U.N. Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, and 40 years after President Nixon launched the U.S. government's war on drugs, fundamental reforms in national and global drug control policies are urgently needed."

The 19-member commission, a private venture chaired by ex-Brazilian president Fernando Henrique Cardoso, includes George Schultz, President Reagan's secretary of state; Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group; former U.N. secretary general Koffi Anna; George Papandreou, prime minister of Greece; Paul Volcker, former chairman of the Federal Reserve; and Javier Solana, former EU foreign minister.

READ: Full report

"Apparent victories in eliminating one source or trafficking organization are negated almost instantly by the emergence of other sources and traffickers," the report says.

It says government expenditures on futile supply reduction strategies and incarceration "displace more cost-effective and evidence-based investments in demand and harm reduction."

Among the commission's recommedations:

End the criminalization, marginalization and stigmatization of people who use drugs but who do no harm to others.

Challenge rather than reinforce common misconceptions about drug markets, drug use and drug dependence.

Encourage experimentation by governments with models of legal regulation of drugs to undermine the power of organized crime and safeguard the health and security of their citizens. This recommendation applies especially to cannabis, but we also encourage other experiments in decriminalization and legal regulation that can accomplish these objectives and provide models for others.

Offer health and treatment services to those in need.

Replace drug policies and strategies driven by ideology and political convenience with fiscally responsible policies and strategies grounded in science, health, security and human rights – and adopt appropriate criteria for their evaluation.

Invest in activities that can both prevent young people from taking drugs in the first place and also prevent those who do use drugs from developing more serious problems. Eschew simplistic 'just say no' messages and 'zero tolerance' policies in favor of educational efforts grounded in credible information and prevention programs that focus on social skills and peer influences.

Global Commission Report