Drug Addiction is Selfish

Here are just a few facts on the impact of drug addiction and abuse to others, according to the US Department of Justice National Drug Intelligence Center:[1]

• The cost to society is estimated to add up to about $193 billion when the cost of lost productivity, crime and healthcare.
• Drug-related crime costs society about $61 billion annually, including money spent on court costs, law enforcement and incarceration.
• Healthcare costs caused by drug abuse and addiction add up to $11 billion annually between emergency services, inpatient drug treatment and drug use and prevention research.
• More than $120 billion in lost productivity is caused by drug abuse and addiction each year.
• Lost labor participation adds up to $49 billion annually.
• Incarceration and related lost productivity costs about $48 billion each year.
• Drug-related homicides add another $4 billion to the lost productivity cost.
• The costs of running the criminal justice system to handle cases related to drug distribution and possession costs about $56 billion every year.
• According to the National Drug Threat Survey (NDTS) 2010, crystal meth and crack cocaine are the drugs that primarily contribute to drug-related crime.[2]
• Heroin was the drug that most contributed to property-related crime.
• According to the Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring Program (ADAM II), 60 percent of those arrested tested positive for drug abuse.[3]
• Health effects caused by drug abuse impact society including parental neglect of children, drunk or drugged driving, exposure to toxic chemicals due to drug labs, hospitalization and emergency room visits.
• Non-homicide admissions to the ER cost about $161 million annually. Hospital admissions cost $5.5 billion.
• More than 28,000 people die each year in car accidents—almost 4000 of those were caused by driving under the influence.
• Law enforcement agents and children are the most common victims of medical problems caused by accident, explosion and exposure to toxic chemicals created by crystal meth labs.