The Office of Drug Abuse Law Enforcement (ODALE) was a Justice Department agency that

Richard Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and was ...

established in January 1972, headed by Myles Ambrose. The office was chiefly a tool for the federal government to assist

local government Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of public administration within a particular sovereign state. This particular usage of the word government refers specifically to a level of administration that is both geographically-l ...

in enforcing

drug laws The prohibition of drugs through sumptuary legislation or religious law is a common means of attempting to prevent the recreational use of certain intoxicating substances. While some drugs are illegal to possess, many governments regulate the ...

and oblige

drug addicts Addiction is a neuropsychological disorder characterized by a persistent and intense urge to engage in certain behaviors, one of which is the usage of a drug, despite substantial harm and other negative consequences. Repetitive drug use oft ...

to undergo rehabilitation. In July 1973, ODALE was consolidated, along with several other agencies, into the newly established

Drug Enforcement Administration The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA; ) is a United States federal law enforcement agency under the U.S. Department of Justice tasked with combating drug trafficking and distribution within the U.S. It is the lead agency for domestic en ...

Sources

*The Quest for Drug Control by David F. Musto, Pamela Korsmeyer
PBS Frontline:Thirty Years of America's Drug War
Defunct federal law enforcement agencies of the United States History of drug control Government agencies established in 1972 Drugs in the United States Drug Enforcement Administration History of drug control in the United States 1972 establishments in the United States Government agencies disestablished in 1973 1973 disestablishments in the United States {{US-gov-stub