Most of us are well aware of the fact that drug abuse is harmful for our health. It can ruin the physical and mental health of a person and may prove to be fatal in many cases. However, that’s not the whole story. There is another side to drug abuse that most people are not aware of. Drug abuse can have serious financial consequences for a nation. The economic impact of drug and substance abuse is quite high. And in these times of economic downturn, drug abuse poses a serious threat to the financial health of our nation.
According to the information posted on the official website of National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), drug and substance abuse robs the US economy of billions of dollars. The estimated economic cost of drug and substance abuse is $ 559 billion/ year. The illegal drugs, alcohol and tobacco cost $ 181 billion, $185 billion and $193 billion respectively. These are staggering numbers. Considering the current economic stagnation in the US, these figures may jeopardize the whole economy and have serious negative consequences.
The information we’ve provided below will help you understand how drug abuse negatively affect the economy of a nation-
- The US and other countries spend billions of dollars to implement laws aimed at containing drug trafficking. According to DrugSense, a well-known non-profit organization, the US spent over $15 billion in 2010 on the war of drugs. That translates into $500 per second.
- With so much money spent on the war against drugs, other important sectors such as education and public infrastructure suffer. The money that should be spent on providing better education opportunities and improving infrastructure is used up for the war on drugs.
- Loss of human productivity is another major factor that can negatively affect the economy of a nation. Drug abuse leads to physical and mental illnesses. This reduces the productivity of people and can have serious negative consequences for the health of our nation. Drug abuse also causes premature deaths leading to loss of many years of potential productivity.
- Drug abuse makes it obligatory for countries to increase their health care costs. More money is required to provide health facilities to drug abusers. This increases the burden on the taxpayers.
In these times of economic uncertainties, the economic consequences may have a debilitating effect on the financial health of our nation. However, providing the best treatment and rehabilitation facilities to drug addicts is of paramount importance. You can find more information on rehabilitation facilities available for drug addicts at http://www.inspiremalibu.com
