Faces & Voices Of Recovery HART RESEARCH P e t e r D A S O T E C I & COLDWATER CORPORATION Faces & Voices Of Recovery A survey among 801 adults nationwide Conducted April 19 – 22, 2004

Addiction’s Impact Is Widespread How much impact has addiction to alcohol or drugs had on your life (addiction of friend, family member, yourself, or other experience)? No impact Not sure Great deal/some impact Great deal of impact Under $50K income Over $50K income Whites Nonwhites Non-college graduates College graduates 70% 59% 62% 64% 67% 56% Not much impact 63% Nearly four in ten Americans (39%) say they have a family member or close friend in recovery. Some impact

Public Knows Addiction Strikes Many A majority of Americans (53%) believe that one in four (or more) people in the U.S. are currently addicted to alcohol or other drugs. 27% believe that one in four (or more) people in the U.S. are in recovery.

Strong Evidence Of Stigma And Discrimination People addicted to alcohol or other drugs 85% People in recovery from addiction to alcohol or other drugs 75%

Public Sees Discrimination As a Problem Not much of a problem People in recovery being denied a job or promotion People in recovery being denied medical, life, other insurance People in recovery being denied government-backed student loans 80% 10% 9% 19% 75% 52%

Strong Evidence Of Stigma And Discrimination 27% of adults say they would be less likely to hire a qualified job candidate who is in recovery. 43% of Americans say they would be less likely to vote for a gubernatorial candidate who is in recovery.

Public Sees Problems of Lack Of Treatment and Discrimination Lack of treatment/recovery programs for alcohol/drug addiction Discrimination against people in recovery from alcohol/drug addiction 61% 53%

Public Calls For Changes In Laws And Attitudes People are ashamed to talk to others about their own/ family’s addiction Students with drug conviction are banned from receiving federal aid for college People seeking help for addiction pay higher health insurance than people with other chronic diseases Companies are less likely to hire people if they know they are in recovery from addiction to alcohol or drugs 74% 67% 65% 65%

Support For Policies Likelihood Of Voting For Candidate Who Supports Each Less likely Spending in war on drugs: greater emphasis on prevention, education, treatment Expand Drug Courts/ prison drug treatment Change laws so people in recovery not discriminated against Law requiring health insurance to handle addiction same as other medical conditions Increase federal funding to prevent/treat addiction, support research Tougher criminal penalties for drug use, stronger enforcement 81% 11% 17% 14% 19% 12% 33% 81% 77% 76% 75% 57%

Public Conflicted On Disease Versus Weakness Addiction to alcohol/drugs is primarily: Disease/health problem Men Women Conservatives Moderates Liberals Under $50K Over $50K Addiction/great impact Addiction/no impact Know someone in recovery 39% 58% 40% 52% 61% 44% 58% 50% 44% 54% Disease/ health problem Personal/ moral weakness Both equally All adults

Public’s Perception Of “In Recovery” When you hear the word “recovery, as in “This person is in recovery from an addiction,” what does “recovery” mean? Person is free from addiction/no longer uses alcohol or drugs Person is trying to stop using alcohol or drugs Person has been damaged by alcohol/ drugs Person has mental illness

Public Doubts The Effectiveness Of Treatment Do the majority of those who seek treatment for addiction to alcohol or drugs achieve life-long recovery? No Yes Not sure

Variety Of Messages Influence Public Very important/ Recovery Comunity Addiction affects one in ten people/one in four kids Recovery takes time, patience, support: must never give up Breaking addiction cycle critical to healthy society: easier to treat in early stages Helping achieve long-term recovery saves in health care costs, crime, toll on family Discrimination against people in recovery unfair/ makes it harder for them Millions in long-term recovery: living proof of real solution N/A 79% N/A 74% 63% 84%

Variety Of Messages Influence Public Very important/ Recovery Comunity Addiction to alcohol and other drugs is a disease that affects as many as one in ten Americans. Beyond that, as many as one in four American children are affected by parents or family members with an addiction. N/A This argument gains broad support across all demographic groups, but the message doesn’t take us far.

Variety Of Messages Influence Public Very important/ Recovery Comunity Recovery from addiction to alcohol and other drugs takes time, patience, and support. There are many ways that people get the help they need, and we can never give up on helping family mem-bers and friends reclaim their lives. 79% This argument gains support across the spectrum, especially among people who have been greatly impacted by addiction.

Variety Of Messages Influence Public Very important/ Recovery Comunity Breaking the cycle of addiction is critical to a healthy society. It is easier and less costly to treat abuse before it becomes an addiction, and to treat addiction in its early stages. N/A This is the highest-ranking message among conservatives.

Variety Of Messages Influence Public Very important/ Recovery Comunity Millions of Ameri-cans are in long-term recovery from al-cohol and other drug addiction, and tens of thousands more get well every year. They are living proof that recovery is happen-ing, and that there is a real solution to the problem of drug and alcohol addiction. This is the most important message among the recovery community, and it addresses important public concerns and misperceptions. 84%

Faces & Voices Of Recovery HART RESEARCH P e t e r D A S O T E C I & COLDWATER CORPORATION Faces & Voices Of Recovery A survey among 801 adults nationwide Conducted April 19 – 22, 2004