Study shows illicit drug use costs U.S. economy more than $193 billion

Illicit drug use in the United States is estimated to have cost the U.S. economy more than $193 billion in 2007, according to a new study by the National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC).

The Economic Impact of Illicit Drug Use on American Society, released May 26, estimates the economic impact of illicit drugs for 2007, the most recent year for which data are available.

So what does the NDIC report suggest? Legalisation of illicit drugs? Definitely not! On the contrary:

It is important that illicit drugs be made as difficult and costly to obtain as possible. This points to the value of law enforcement efforts.

It is best if illicit drug use not be initiated at all. This points to the value of community-based prevention initiatives.

If illicit drug use is initiated, then the earlier in the drug-use career that intervention takes place, the better society

is served. This points to the value of screening and brief intervention activities.

Later in the career, consequences involving specialty treatment, hospitalization, and incarceration are more likely to occur. These outcomes are expensive on two counts: once because society incurs costs by addressing the problem and again because productivity is lost when incapacitation ensues. This points both to the value of providing effective and broadly available specialty treatment and to the value of diverting nonviolent drug users into alternative specialty treatment settings whenever possible.

The findings thus validate the basic premises of the National Drug Control Strategy. Strong law enforcement efforts that reduce cultivation, production, and distribution of illicit drugs both limit consumer access and enhance public safety. Prepared communities that support comprehensive local prevention initiatives reduce the probability that individuals will initiate illicit drug use. And a well-developed system of specialty treatment serves ultimately to break the cycle of drug use and criminality.(Executive summary pp. XI-XII).

Full report – The Economic Impact of Illicit Drug Use on American Society