“Drug addiction treatment has been shown to reduce associated health and social costs by far more than the cost of the treatment itself. According to several conservative estimates, every dollar invested in addiction treatment programs yields a return of between $4 and $7 in reduced drug-related crime, criminal justice costs, and theft. When savings related to healthcare are included, total savings can exceed costs by a ratio of 12 to 1. Major savings to the individual and to society also stem from fewer interpersonal conflicts;greater workplace productivity; and fewer drug-related accidents, including overdoses and deaths.”
— Principles of Drug Addiction Treatment: A research-based guide, December 2012 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Link: http://www.drugabuse.gov/sites/default/files/podat_1.pdf
“Comparisons of pre-treatment and post-treatment measures of patient functioning revealed a decreased need for expensive health care services, such as hospitalization and emergency room care. The motor vehicle accident rate, traffic arrest rate, and criminal offense arrest rate all showed post-treatment declines. On the job problems also decreased dramatically following treatment. Post-treatment difficulties were disproportionately higher among patients who had returned to substance use than among patients who remained abstinent, documenting that successful treatment can have an affect in many areas that improve the quality of life for patients themselves (along with their families and communities) as well as reduce the high economic costs associated with alcohol and drug abuse in our society. Cost offsets for chemical dependency treatment are substantial and of broad scope; they also are related directly to the recovery rate.”
Perspectives of effective treatment for alcohol and drug disorders. The Psychiatric Clinics of North America.
“For millions of Americans, substance use progresses to a point where the efforts of the individual, his or her family and friends, and social networks may not be sufficient to bring the problem under control. In these cases, access to addiction treatment can be a critical — even life-saving — resource. Studies show that every dollar spent on treatment saves four dollars in health care costs and seven dollars in public safety costs.”
Treatment and Recovery: Understanding Treatment, Office of National Drug Control Policy
“We know that approximately 100,000 NH citizens are in need of treatment for substance use disorders. We know that the rates of substance misuse by NH youth and young adults are some of the highest in the country. We know that substance misuse costs businesses more than $1 billion per year in lost worker productivity.”
— Linda Saunders Paquette, Executive Director of New Futures, a nonprofit advocacy organization working to prevent and reduce alcohol and other drug problems in New Hampshire.
