Substance Abuse Prevention Briefing Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America

Ignoring Drug and Alcohol Prevention Is Costly 1 US, Dept of Justice NDIC, The Economic Impact of Illicit Drug Use on American Society, Rehm J, Mathers C, Popova S, Thavorncharoensap M, Teerawattananon Y, Patra J. Global burden of disease and injury and economic cost attributable to alcohol use and alcohol- use disorders. Lancet Jun 27;373(9682): [Table 4] 3 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs—2007. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health; October 2007 The total overall costs of substance abuse in the U.S., including productivity, health and crime-related costs, exceed $600 billion annually. This includes approximately: $193 billion for illicit drugs 1 $235 billion for alcohol 2 $193 billion for tobacco 3

Cost/Benefit For Prevention Prevention Yields Huge Savings Effective substance abuse prevention can yield major economic dividends. For every dollar invested in prevention between $2.00 to $20.00 can be saved. 1 1 Swisher, J.D., Scherer, J. and Yin, K. (October, 2004). The Journal of Primary Prevention. “Cost-benefit estimates in prevention research.” 25:2.

What the Research Shows To Support the Need For Prevention Drug addiction is a developmental disorder that begins in adolescence, sometimes as early as childhood, for which effective prevention is critical. 1 1 Quote by Dr. Nora Volkow, Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse

Increasing the Age of Initiation is Key Adolescents who begin drinking before the age of 15 are four times more likely to develop alcohol dependence. Each additional year of delayed drinking onset reduces the probability of alcohol dependence by 14%. 1 Of youth who began drinking before age 15, 40% were classified as dependent later in life. 2 Children who first smoke marijuana under the age of 14 are more than five times as likely to abuse drugs as adults, than those who first use marijuana at age National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (2006). Underage Drinking A Growing Healthcare Concern. Available: Grant, B.F., and Dawson, D.A. Age at onset of alcohol use and its association with DSM-IV alcohol abuse and dependence: Results from the National Longitudinal Alcohol Epidemiologic Survey. J Sub Abuse 9: , The National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA) report. August 23, Available:

Peer Drug Use and Lower Test Scores “Kids Count” Study—State of WA 1 Findings link lower test scores to peer substance abuse - not to individual student use as one might expect. Students whose peers had little or no involvement with drinking or drugs scored higher on standardized tests, while those whose peers were involved with drinking or drugs failed to meet the requirements of the standardized tests. On average, students whose peers avoided substance use had test scores (measured by the Washington Assessment of Student Learning reading and math scores) that were 18 points higher for reading, and 45 points higher for math 1 Bence, M., Brandon, R., Lee, I., Tran, H. University of Washington. (2000). Impact of peer substance use on middle school performance in Washington: Summary. Washington Kids Count/University of WA: Seattle, WA. Available:

Perception of Risk and Social Disapproval Research demonstrates that illegal drug use among youth declines as the perception of risk and social disapproval increases.

 Softening attitudes generally precede an increase in drug use rates by approximately two years.  When the 2009 Monitoring the Future Survey results were released, Lloyd Johnston stated: “Not only is use rising, but a key belief about the degree of risk associated with marijuana use has been in decline among young people even longer, and the degree to which teens disapprove of use of the drug has recently begun to decline. Changes in these beliefs and attitudes are often very influential in driving changes in use.” 1 1 Johnston, L. D., O'Malley, P. M., Bachman, J. G., & Schulenberg, J. E. (December 14, 2009). "Teen marijuana use tilts up while some drugs decline in use." University of Michigan News Service: Ann Arbor, MI. Retrieved from

SOURCE: University of Michigan, 2009 Monitoring the Future Study 12 th Graders’ Past Year Marijuana Use vs. Perceived Risk of Occasional Marijuana Use SOURCE: University of Michigan, 2011 Monitoring the Future Study

The latest MTF data shows disturbing trends, as attitudes have softened and use has increased.

SOURCE: University of Michigan, 2009 Monitoring the Future Study Percent Perceiving Great Risk of Smoking Marijuana Regularly SOURCE: University of Michigan, 2011 Monitoring the Future Study

SOURCE: University of Michigan, 2009 Monitoring the Future Study Percent of Students Reporting Marijuana Use, Cigarette Use in Past Month, by Grade SOURCE: University of Michigan, 2011 Monitoring the Future Study Denotes significant difference between 2010 and 2011.

Percent Perceiving Great Risk of Taking Amphetamines among 12th Graders SOURCE: University of Michigan, 2011 Monitoring the Future Study

Percent of 30-day, Annual and Lifetime Use of Amphetamines Among 12 th Graders SOURCE: University of Michigan, 2011 Monitoring the Future Study

The 2011 Monitoring the Future Survey also found that nearly 1 in 20 of all 12th graders reported the nonmedical use of OxyContin in the past year. SOURCE: University of Michigan, 2011 Monitoring the Future Study