We know that a child who gets through age 21 without smoking, abusing alcohol or using illegal drugs is virtually certain never to do so. It is a slap in the face of this knowledge for states to spend 113 times more to shovel up the wreckage of children savaged by substance abuse and addiction in social, criminal justice and education programs than they spend to encourage children to stay away from these substances and treat those who ignore that advice. It is our hope that exposing these heretofore hidden costs will encourage governors and state legislatures to make sensible investments in comprehensive efforts to reduce the use of tobacco, alcohol and illegal drugs, particularly by children. By comparison, pennies are spent to prevent these problems. This is perhaps the worst example of current investment policies because of the enormous payoff that could be realized by preventing addiction in the first place.
Children are key to the lasting success of any effort to curb the costs of substance abuse.
Prevention and treatment efforts, especially those directed to children, must cover all substances. First, sale of any of these substances to children is illegal, and for good reason. Second, tobacco, alcohol and illegal drugs all affect the dopamine systems in the brain and, with repeated use, can change the structure of the brain itself resulting in cravings and addiction. Finally, most individuals who fall prey to abuse and addiction are involved with more than one substance. What this report reveals for the first time is that the biggest bang for the buck in terms of taming the costs of social programs will come to those states that curb substance abuse and addiction.