According to the most recently published (2010) report regarding alcohol and drug abuse, the following are the primary drug threats in the US:
Additionally, there are approximately 40 million reported cases every year involving deaths due to overdose or serious medical conditions that are associated with substance abuse and addiction. So psychoactive substances such as alcohol, prescription medications, and street drugs are now considered serious public health threats as well, hence the growth in the number of addiction rehab center programs throughout the US.
Although the major reasons for drug dependency cannot be pin-pointed, in most of the cases, psychological aberrations and mental illnesses such as depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and other psychotic illnesses have been an underlying cause.
The following statistics resulted from numerous research studies and surveys conducted by the National Institute on Chemical Dependency (NICD) and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA):
1 in 8 Americans is suffering from alcohol or drug dependency, yet only 10% of them at most are getting professional help for their problems and almost 60% need immediate attention for their problems.
Of the group mentioned above, roughly 40% of them have a concurrent behavioral, mental, or nervous disorder, which is referred to as “dual diagnosis.”
12% of all young males and females are using illicit substances by the time they reach the age of 18.
The untreated alcoholic’s or drug addict’s medical expenses are 300% higher than the non-substance abusing individual is.
70% of all the alcoholics and drug addicts in the US are gainfully employed but they contribute significantly to negative elements in the workplace including:
Our society incurs an estimated $250 billion in direct annual expenses resulting from alcohol and drug abuse, which includes professional medical attention and stays in a residential addiction rehab center. While another few thousands seek short term treatments at rehab facilities nationwide.
