One Tenth Of All Government Money Spent On Addiction
Posted by Vista Bay Rehab on June 18th, 2012 in Uncategorized
The impact of drug abuse on taxpayers as it eats money out of the federal budget is astounding. Right now The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University reports that more than $467 billion is spent every year on substance abuse.
This is more than $283 billion on federal spending and over $93 billion for local spending.
What’s more shocking is that nearly 96 cents of each dollar is paying for the negative consequences of addiction. Only less than 2 cents is being spent on treatment. Some of these consequences include health costs, hospitalizations, accidents, deaths, domestic abuse, child neglect and abuse, sexual problems like assaults and STDs, homelessness and crime.
Drug addiction alone causes more than 70 illnesses that require hospitalization. And this is all happening while some people who are addicted refuse any treatment at all or go in and out of programs that are unsuccessful for achieving real results.
The situation can seem hopeless when you look at the big picture but there is one guiding light that is often ignored. It is that there are millions who have recovered with drug treatment.
The program has to fit a certain criteria to get results which are pretty basic. It must:
1. Not use drugs to get addicts off drugs (be completely drug free).
2. The facility must be residential.
3. The program has to be at least 90 days of inpatient treatment. Programs lasting 4-6 months are an even better bet for statistically proven results for success.
4. The center must have some type of natural solution to reducing drug cravings.
5. There has to be an intensive aftercare program following treatment and possible post-treatment solutions like job placement or sober life monitoring.
The costs to cover the consequences of drug abuse will continue to rise without good treatment. More will lose their lives and society as a whole will go downhill. But this doesn’t have to be the case.
If you know someone with a drug problem get them into a successful drug treatment program today. Contact us for more information.
