This will involve a review of all extant legal punishments on substance abuse, including a meta-analysis of relevant literature on these laws/regulations. From the meta-analysis and legal review, the variables and factors deemed appropriate for the study will be determined. Thus, the first sub-research question is, "What are the variables or factors that will help determine the success of legal punishments in curbing substance abuse?" Alternatively, the specific objective could be developed as, "To identify the variables or factors that will determine the success of legal punishments in curbing substance abuse." Consequently, these variables or factors will help determine a measurement system that is numerical / quantitative in nature, and will ultimately determine if the legal restriction/punishment has been a success or a failure in curbing substance...

A weighting system will be used, which shall assign weights to each variable/factor determined, depending on the ascertained and computed importance of each variable based from its perceived contribution to the success of the legal punishment in curbing substance abuse. The second sub-research question is, "What is the quantitative measure that will indicate that the legal punishment has been successful in curbing substance abuse?" Alternatively, the second specific objective of the study is, "To develop a quantitative measure that will indicate that the legal punishment has been successful in curbing substance abuse."
References

Babbie, E. (2007). The practice of social research. CA: Wadsworth.

White, P. (2009). Developing research questions: a guide for social scientists. NY: Palgrave McMillan.