Substance Abuse is a growing problem worldwide. With unsecure borders and ever growing drug cartels, the availability of drugs is greater than ever. However, with the help of addiction treatment many former addicts are able to go back to leading happy, successful lives. Although, one can’t help but wonder what would happen if such treatment was no longer available? What kind of strain would it put on the economy and society as a whole?
One obvious consequence of a world without addiction treatment is that there would be more drug addicts. More addicts would mean more money going to drug dealers and cartels, as well as funding terrorism. That would also mean there would be less money going to help to legitimate business and our communities. There would be less money going to schools for extracurricular activities or to keeping national parks open or improving roads. Not to mention increased wealth, could also mean an increase in power and control for those selling the drugs.
On a societal level, we would see a dramatic increase in drug related crime; more fights and deaths over drugs, as well as accidents caused by addicts driving under the influence. There would also be an increase in drug related deaths and suicides as the drugs slowly take control over people’s brains. We would also see a dramatic rise in health care costs as liabilities and health care costs associated with drug use go up. More people would either on the street or in state or privately run facilities once their bodies, and more specifically their brains, could no longer take the consistent drug use.
Without addiction treatment our country, even our world, could not handle the health implications much less the financial burden that such a situation would create. Substance abuse treatment is an important part of our global society; to help keep our communities in check and give deserving people a second chance.
