 |
 |
|||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
|||||||
 |
 |
| ||||||||
 |
|
|||||||||
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Herman Trend Alert June 3, 2009 Preventing Drug Abuse and Crime Drug abuse remains one of the top five costliest health problems in the United States. Most of the money invested in combating alcohol and drug abuse goes towards responding to the consequences of these societal problems. Only a minimal two percent goes to prevention, according to a recent report from the National Center for Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University. The study also found that 96 percent of the $467.7 billion that federal, state, and local governments spend on substance abuse is used to deal with the public effects, including crime and homelessness. Healthcare costs associated with substance abuse receive the largest percentage (58.0). Governments spend the second largest percentage (13.1) on costs of prosecuting and jailing offenders. In a related study from the United States Office of Drug Control Policy, over half of the men arrested in nine selected cities tested "positive" for drugs. The only exception to this finding was Washington, DC with 48.6 percent, which experienced an almost 30 percent decrease between 2007 and 2008. Most of the cities, Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, New York, Portland (Oregon), and Sacramento, either remained the same or decreased in percentages of positively testing men arrested. Only Charlotte increased and then only by a fraction of a percent (0.2). These data point to the opportunity to implement prevention programs and perhaps eliminate at least some of the crime that is perpetrated on the urban public. In fact, when we look at the cost effectiveness of prevention versus treatment, the solution is obvious. The founder and chairman of CASA, former US Drug Czar Joseph Califano, said it well: To reduce the amount spent on drug abuse, the government needs to "mount major prevention programs with a focus on kids". However, Califano also said that the main reason that governments have these backwards priorities is that there is a stigma attached to drug and alcohol addiction. Our forecast is that world governments, especially the new administration in Washington, will choose to invest more on prevention. With the growing need to economize in every way, it just makes sense. Hopefully, treatment programs will not suffer. © Copyright 1998- by The Herman Group, Inc. -- reproduction for publication is encouraged, with the following attribution: From "The Herman Trend Alert," by Joyce Gioia, Strategic Business Futurist. 1.336.210.3548 or https://hermangroup.com. To sign up, visit https://HermanTrendAlert.com. The Herman Trend Alert is a trademark of The Herman Group, Inc."
HEAR JOYCE SPEAK TOMORROW AT 11:30 AM EDT
GET COACHING FOR YOUR PEOPLE FOR LESS THAN $1/DAY!
JOYCE IS ON THE RADIO EVERYDAY NOW To read this Herman Trend Alert on the web: https://hermangroup.com/alert/archive_3-29-2023.html.
Herman Trend Alerts are produced by the Herman Group, strategic business futurists, Certified Management Consultants, authors, and professional speakers. New subscribers are always welcome. There is no charge for this public service. The Herman Trend Alert is read by over 30,000 people in 90 countries, including other websites and printed periodicals. Click here to sign up for the Herman Trend Alert. Do you enjoy receiving this weekly e-mail update? Contact us about our co-branded Herman Trend Alert service.
|
 |
|
7112 Viridian Lane |
|
Web site design by WebEditor Design Services, Inc.
Subscribe or Unsubscribe to weekly Herman Trend Alert