Drug Treatment News Stories: Where Does the Annual $50 Billion for the War on Drugs Go?

Parents all over the U.S. are fighting their own war on drugs. They move to small towns or suburban areas they think are safe, they try to live in good school districts, choose colleges that are not at the top of the party school lists, teach their kids about the dangers of drugs, and work to instill self-esteem.

Nevertheless, more and more families are coping with drug problems, regardless of where they live or what preventative actions they take. However, what they don’t understand is that to remedy the situation, they have to see the bigger picture, and take action. The War on Drugs is a societal problem and, until society changes, drugs will still be a threat.

For society to change, the money expended on the War on Drugs will have to be re-appropriated.

Currently, we spend about $ 50 billion a year. Where does the money go?

In 2005, for example, $ 12 billion went to controlling drugs, a little over $ 9 billion to police protection, and $ 4.5 to legal matters. The balance, a whopping $ 30 billion, more than all other costs combined, went to jailing drug offenders – many of whom were involved in a non-violent crime that, had they not been on drugs, they would not have committed.

The overwhelming majority of those in prison get no drug treatment whatsoever, many continue to take drugs while they’re there, and when they are released they are no more able to resist the temptation than they were prior to their arrest. In fact, being a convicted criminal stacks up even more strikes against them when it comes to trying to change their lives.

A 2006 analysis on the effectiveness of drug treatment rather than punishment showed the following:

– Selling drugs declined by 78% - Shoplifting declined almost 82% - Beating people up declined by nearly 80% - There were 64% fewer arrests for any crime - Those who supported themselves through illegal activity dropped by nearly 50%

And drug treatment costs 70% to 90% less than incarceration.

Many states have instituted drug court programs so non-violent offenders can be offered treatment instead of prison. But the number of people going through these programs is pitifully low.

1% of our country’s citizens are in prison, that’s over three million people, a higher percentage than any other industrialized country in the world, and a lot of them are there for drug offenses. But when you read news stories about people who graduate from drug court treatment programs you often see numbers like ‘8’ – eight people graduating from a drug court treatment program. Where are the other million or so?

Currently, they’re in prison. But, eventually, they’ll be out. To really protect our children, parents need to take an active role in getting legislation passed that will ensure the War on Drugs spends more on addiction treatment centers that can turn non-violent drug offenders into productive members of society. Contact your congressman to see what you can do.

Teen with Heroin Addiction, Now in Rehab – Sean O’Conner, 19, entered rehab for heroin addiction treatment after a drug overdose at a friend’s party. Read more about Sean’s heroin addiction story at www.usnews.com

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