Addiction Drug Use How Drug Use Affects Our Society By Buddy T Buddy T Facebook Twitter Buddy T is an anonymous writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism. Learn about our editorial process Updated on September 15, 2020 Medically reviewed Verywell Mind articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and mental healthcare professionals. Medical Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by John C. Umhau, MD, MPH, CPE Medically reviewed by John C. Umhau, MD, MPH, CPE John C. Umhau, MD, MPH, CPE is board-certified in addiction medicine and preventative medicine. He is the medical director at Alcohol Recovery Medicine. For over 20 years Dr. Umhau was a senior clinical investigator at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Learn about our Medical Review Board Print cozyta/Getty Images Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Costs by Drug Type Workplace Costs Impact on Crime Health and Healthcare Others Concerns The estimated cost of drug abuse in the United States—including illegal drugs, alcohol, and tobacco—is more than $740 billion a year and growing, according to data reported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA. Substance abuse in the U.S. costs society in increased healthcare costs, crime, and lost productivity. Costs by Drug Type Estimates of the costs of drug use vary depending on the source, how data is collected, and the year that the data is gathered. For instance, while NIDA reports the total overall cost of prescription opioid use at $78.5 billion, that estimate was based on data collected in the year 2013. Because opioid misuse (and the ensuing costs and consequences) have grown since that time, the current numbers are likely substantially higher. Some of the estimated total costs related to each type of drug include: Alcohol abuse: $249 billion. Binge drinking accounts for $191 billion of the total cost to society for excessive alcohol consumption. Most of the cost is associated with lost productivity at work (77%), while other factors include legal expenses (10%), medical expenses from binge drinking (11%), and healthcare expenses from alcohol-related accidents (5%).Illegal drug abuse: $193 billion. This includes an estimated $11 billion in direct health care costs associated with the use of illicit substances.Prescription opioids: $78.5 billion. Approximately $26 billion dollars of the total amount is due to direct health care costs.Tobacco: $300 billion. The total economic cost of smoking annually includes nearly $170 billion in direct medical costs for adults and more than $156 billion in productivity that's lost because of effects from exposure to secondhand smoke and untimely death. Other Costs to Society The total costs to society for substance abuse goes beyond the financial costs. Other costs include:Crime, unemployment, domestic abuse, divorce, and homelessnessDeaths from overdoseEffects on unborn childrenThe spread of HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C Impact on Workplace Productivity Drug abuse costs the nation more than $120 billion per year in lost productivity, according to The National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC). Included in that lost productivity are reduced labor participation, incarceration, premature mortality, hospitalization, and participation in treatment programs away from work. According to NDIC estimates, drug abuse accounts for: $49 billion in reduced workdays$48 billion in incarceration expenses$4 billion due to premature deaths Impact on Crime and Criminal Justice Systems The NDIC estimates that the annual cost of drug-related crime in the United States is more than $61 billion with the criminal justice system cost making up $56 billion of that cost. Crack cocaine and methamphetamine are the drugs that most often contribute to the commission of crimes in the U.S., according to the National Drug Threat Survey. Heroin use is a significant factor in the commission of property crimes. From 63% to 83% of all arrestees test positive for illicit substances at the time of their arrest, according to the Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring Program (ADAM II), which monitors arrestees in 10 cities across the U.S. Twelve to 50% of arrestees test positive for more than one drug in their system when arrested. Why Alcohol and Drugs Are Factors in a Large Percentage of Crimes Impact on Health and Healthcare Systems Annual drug-related healthcare cost in the U.S. is more than $11 billion, the NDIC reports. That figure includes both direct and indirect costs related to: Inpatient drug treatmentMedical intervention, including emergency servicesPrevention and treatment research The NDIC estimates that the annual costs of emergency department visits related to drug abuse are $161 million, with an additional $5.5 million in costs for those who have to be hospitalized. If you or a loved one are struggling with substance use or addiction, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 for information on support and treatment facilities in your area. For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database. Drugged Driving, Toxic Meth Labs On top of direct healthcare costs, drug abuse produces costs associated with driving under the influence of drugs, parental neglect, and exposure to toxic methamphetamine labs. The most recent National Survey on Drug Use and Health showed that 20.7 million people who were 16 or older drove after drinking alcohol in 2016. Another 11.8 million drove after taking illicit drugs. Clandestine methamphetamine labs have produced a growing number of law enforcement and first responder personnel being exposed to toxic chemicals, fires, and explosions. Children who live in homes where there are meth labs are also at great risk for negative health consequences. U.S. Has High Levels of Illegal Drug Use Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Learn the best ways to manage stress and negativity in your life. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit 8 Sources Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Trends and statistics. National Institute on Drug Abuse. Costs of substance abuse. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Excessive drinking is draining the U.S. economy. Xu X, Bishop EE, Kennedy SM, Simpson SA, Pechacek TF. Annual healthcare spending attributable to cigarette smoking: an update. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 2014;48(3):326–33. doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2014.10.012 National Drug Intelligence Center. National drug threat assessment 2011. U.S. Department of Justice. National Drug Intelligence Center. National drug threat assessment. Washington, DC: United States Department of Justice. Office of National Drug Control Policy. ADAM II: 2013 Annual Report. Executive Office of the President. National Institute on Drug Abuse. Drugged Driving. Additional Reading Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Smoking & Tobacco Use: Fast Facts. Get Treatment for Addiction Advertiser Disclosure × The offers that appear in this table are from partnerships from which Verywell Mind receives compensation.