Did You Know?
Substance Abuse costs our nation more than $484 Billion/year
The costs of drug abuse are as substantial as that of other chronic conditions:
- Diabetes costs society $131.7 billion annually
- Cancer costs society $171.6 billion annually
This includes health care expenditures, lost earnings, and costs associated with crime and accidents. This is an enormous burden that affects all of society - those who abuse these substances, and those who don't.
Costs to the Community
- Homelessness: 31% of America's homeless suffer from drug abuse or alcoholism
- Crime: As many as 60% of adults in Federal prisons are there for drug-related crimes
- Education: Children with prenatal cocaine exposure are more likely (1.5 times) to need special education services in school. Special education costs for this population are estimated at $23 million per year
- The Workplace: In 1997, illicit drug users were more likely than others to have missed two or more days of work in the past month and to have worked for three or more employers in the past year10/25/99
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