Substance Abuse Effects on Society

Substance abuse has a far-reaching effect on U.S. society. The National Institute on Drug Abuse estimates that as much as a half a trillion dollars is spent annually in relation to substance abuse. Health, safety and tax dollars are just a few of the many areas that fall under the influence of substance abuse.

Economy

• The National Drug Intelligence Center reports that businesses suffer financially at the hands of substance abusers, as those employees are more likely to steal cash or other goods that can be used to buy drugs. Absenteeism, loss of productivity and abuse of health insurance or medical services also contribute to a company's financial loss due to substance abuse.

Children

• Children of substance abusers suffer both emotionally and physically. According to the Center on Addiction and Family, child abuse, incest and neglect has been linked to alcoholism. Psychological disorders, ranging from eating disorders to sociopathy, have been linked to children of substance abusers, reports the council. Children from substance-abusing families are more likely to develop a learning disability, repeat more grades and attend more schools. These children also are more likely to be truant, delinquent and drop out of school. Emotionally, children of substance abusers suffer from mistrust, guilt, shame, confusion, ambivalence, fear, insecurity and become conflicted about sexuality. Children of substance abusers are three to four times more likely than others to become addicted to alcohol or other drugs.

Incarceration

• The U.S. Justice Department reported that in 2004 people sentenced for drug crimes accounted for 21 percent of state prisoners and 55 percent of all federal prisoners. According to the American Corrections Association, the daily cost per state prison inmate is $67.55, DrugWarFacts.org reports. State prisons, in 2007, held 253,300 inmates for drug offenses. That equates to states spending more than $17 million per day to imprison drug offenders or more than $6 billion per year.

Health

• Every year approximately 40 million illnesses or injuries occur as the result of use of tobacco, alcohol or another addictive drug, states the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The institute further reports that many of the public's top health issues such as cancer, heart disease and HIV/AIDS, can be linked to drug abuse. Approximately 10 to 22 percent of drivers involved with car crashes have been using alcohol or drugs. In 2000, the National Institute on Drug Abuse reported that approximately 460,000 deaths were attributable to illicit drug abuse and smoking.

Violence

• According to a report by the Office of National Drug Control Policy, drug users are more likely than non-users to commit crimes and generate violence. They also reported that although the number of drug-related homicides have decreased, drugs remain one of the main factors in the total number of all homicides.