1. The Impact of Alcohol and Drug Abuse on Businesses and the New Hampshire Economy Legislative Update on Substance Abuse in NH May 22, 2014 PolEcon Research Dover, NH 03820 bgottlob@poleconresearch.com

2. Lost Productivity in the NH Economy From Excessive Alcohol Consumption and Illicit Drug Use Costs the NH Economy Over $1.2 Billion Annually Most businesses are aware of the impact substance abuse has on their company but are not aware of how the impacts on individual companies aggregate to significantly affect the overall NH economy. Drug and alcohol abuse reduces the number of individuals in NH’s workforce. Drug and alcohol abuse reduces the productivity and earnings of those alcohol and drug abusers who are in NH’s labor force. Drug and alcohol abuse increases absenteeism, other time away from work, workplace accidents and injuries.

3. Alcohol Dependency and Abuse Reduces NH’s Labor Force by an Estimated 9,292 Workers or 1.3% of the Total Workforce. Drug Abuse Reduces Participation by Another 5,500 – Concentrated Among Younger Workers. Combined, Substance Abuse Reduce NH’s Workforce by More Than 2% Substance Abuse Affects Labor Force Participation – Reducing a Workforce That is Already Growing Slowly Because of Demographic and Economic Trends

4. Mean Earnings of NH’s 66,000 Alcohol-Dependent Male Workers are Significantly Lower Than Workers Without an Alcohol Dependency – Collectively Lowering Earnings in the State by Over $325 Million

5. Combined, the Cost to the New Hampshire and its Businesses Because of the Reduced Productivity of Alcohol and Drug Abusers in New Hampshire is Over $1.2 Billion Annually **Some smaller productivity costs (lost productivity while in treatment or while hospitalized are not included in this graph but represent only a small portion of productivity costs $756.6 $451.1

6. The $1.2 Billion in Lost Productivity in NH Economy Resulting From Substance Abuse Lowers NH’s per Capita Personal Income by Almost $1,000

7. Lower Productivity in the New Hampshire Economy From Alcohol and Drug Abuse Lowers Employment in the State and Reduces State Revenue by $74.3 Million $74.3

8. Sources for Our Estimates Alcohol – original research: –PolEcon Research, “The High Cost of Excessive Alcohol Consumption in New Hampshire,” New Futures, 2012. Drugs – estimates were extrapolated from national research and adjusted for the number of drug abusers in NH and for unique characteristics of the NH population and economy: – Carnevale Associates, “The Economic Impact of Illicit Drug Use on American Society,” U.S. Department of Justice, National Drug Intelligence Center, 2011.