What is Substance Abuse Prevention Month?

Substance Abuse Prevention Month is to educate the country, especially the children, to prevent future substance abuse problems. The White House believes that the best method of dealing with substance abuse is to prevent the substance abuse (Office of National Drug Control, 2013).

             8% of the U.S. population are engaged in the use and abuse of alcohol and drugs. In 2011, 20.6 million Americans were addicted to alcohol and drugs which breaks down to: 14.1 million addicted to alcohol, 3.9 million drugs, and 2.6 million were addicted to both alcohol and drugs (National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc., 2013). These numbers do not include just adults; instead they include anyone over the age of 12. This means that teenagers are having adult problems. 11% of the country’s monthly alcohol consumption is done by people between the ages of 12 and 20, which is illegal alcohol consumption (National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc., 2013).

            This prevention approach can save American’s money when it comes to health care. For every $1 invested in preventive education the country saves on average $18 (National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc., 2013). This is a substantial return on investment. Additionally, these numbers add up with every person that is educated or discouraged from using drugs and alcohol. This preventive measure tries to ensure that people do not try drugs in the first place, which greatly reduces the chances of becoming addicted.

            The money saved would be money that would be paying for some of the treatment of substance abuse. This treatment can range from paying for drug and alcohol rehab to treating infections of an injection site. Not everyone can afford to pay for the best alcohol rehab centers and best drug rehabilitation programs.

Many Americans rely on private health insurance or state health insurance to cover some or all of the costs of drug and alcohol rehab. Still many of these people will not be able to afford the best alcohol rehab centers and best drug rehabilitation programs. Often times the seeking of help is stigmatized, adding a social cost to obtaining treatment.

            Preventive measures are not be enough to stop all people from using drugs. The D.A.R.E (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program has not been found effective in any scientific studies and sadly has been found to possibly be counter effective (Hanson). This program has since been defunded. There have been new programs developed to do what D.A.R.E. was intended to do. These steps forward may be the steps needed to be taken to lower the numbers of adults and teens that are engaged in substance abuse.

            Have a great Substance Abuse Prevention Month by educating yourself and others about the dangers of abusing drugs and alcohol. If you or a loved one is showing signs of alcohol or drug abuse, our Intensive Outpatient Program in Memphis, TN that has been proven to be effective in the treatment of alcohol abuse and drug treatment in peer reviewed treatment outcome studies.   Our treatment center  provides services to those who need more treatment than one hour a week, but less than 24 hour care, by providing three hours of treatment per day, three to five days per week, in an intensive outpatient setting.  If you or a loved one is showing signs of alcohol abuse or needs drug treatment rehab, they should be assessed by a trained mental health professional who can help design a treatment plan that can result in recovery.  Treatment for substance abuse can be highly successful.  Call us at 901-682-6136 to schedule an appointment.