Topic Related Issues
Healthcare Cost and Financial Difficulties
o About 23 million Americans have addiction problems so bad that they require medical attention
o In the year 2005 substance abuse ranked the sixth most expensive federal expense o 1 out of every 14 hospital stays was substance abuse related in 2004 o People addicted to drugs do not take care of their essential health needs and worsen the medical conditions that already exist o Addicts also put a financial strain and burden on their families because a lot of them do not work or contribute to their families income but drugs are expensive so a lot times their families support their drug habits |
Prison System
v As of December 31st 2011
o 94,600 people were serving time for drug offenses under federal jurisdiction o 237,000 people were serving time for drug offenses under state jurisdiction o 26% of the people on parole are for drug reasons o 26.5 % of people on parole abuse illicit drugs |