Author: Marisa Crane

The Effects of Drug and Alcohol Addiction

The effects of drug Addiction is felt around our nation. While it is a national problem, the impact is local in many situations. Alcohol, hard addictive drugs such as crack cocaine, heroin, methamphetamines and other drugs cause untold number of damage in different communities across North America.

Americans spend over $400 billion a year in different types of health care costs, crime damage, welfare, auto accidents and lost business productivity. This is all estimated to be due to drug addiction and alcohol addiction and the effect in cost on our nation.

The cause and effect and the damage due to drug addiction is felt locally in our neighborhoods, and how each of our local communities deal with drug addition varies a great deal. Some are pro active and support Drug Treatment facility action in their own neighborhoods. Others are less supportive, and either deny drug addiction and its effects or often honestly do not believe it is as serious an issue as it may be.

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States can often provide leadership in respect to how they provide drug policy. States can often help prevent or lower the use of certain drugs like tobacco and alcohol by rising excise taxes, causing it to be more expensive. This is often an effective manner in dealing with youth because they are more sensitive to pricing and price issues.
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Sometimes people feel its only an issue “in the country” or it only strikes “down in the city.” This is sometimes reinforced by the attitudes that different municipalities, cities and even states take in dealing with the issue. Cities have began in many areas to resemble shrinking areas, many people move out to the suburbs.

But in many areas the cities are the ones that have to deal with the social problems. In Washington D.C. only about 10 percent of the population of the D.C. Metro area live in the city itself, but the city amounts to about 65 percent of the cost for social services such as housing, Medicaid, and public assistance.

This can cause a lot of resentment, and it can affect how metropolitan regions, especially larger ones look at Drug Treatment and Drug Treatment Centers. There are other types of prejudice and negative attitudes that you will encounter, but this is one example of the type of disconnect you will encounter.

While drug treatment is needed in a variety of communities, there are differences in approach as to what will work in the inner city, and what will work in the suburbs. Political culture, state laws, and the attitude of the people involved all have a bearing.

So while it may not seem like a big issue, preparing and issuing a City profile report, it can be a important part of making it work. Different cities and suburban areas each have a different approach to drug treatment, and the response to what to do. While each city is different, sometimes the response and solutions are also different and sometimes they are the same.