On the federal level, spending on the criminal justice system and interdiction takes up 60 percent of the federal drug control budget, while only 18 percent is devoted to treatment. The report documents that it does. Recent studies show that after six months, treatment for alcoholism is successful for 40 to 70 percent of patients, cocaine treatment is successful for 50 to 60 percent and opiate treatment for 50 to 80 percent, with effectiveness defined as a 50 percent reduction in substance use after six months. According to the report, addiction is a chronic, relapsing health condition. The improvement rate for people completing substance abuse treatment is comparable to that of people treated for asthma and other chronic, relapsing health conditions.
Treatment is a wise public investment.
The benefits of treatment include reduced crime, enhanced productivity, and lower health care use. Yet, it is surprising that many newer treatment options are not being used. Similarly, many current smokers want to quit, but treatment is underutilized, despite recent pharmacological advances in treating tobacco addiction, such as the nicotine patch. Health plans typically do not cover cessation services, and relatively few doctors provide even brief counseling. Yet, physician advice has been shown to increase long-term abstinence rates by 30 percent.