MCDAC Medina County Drug Abuse Commission: Drug Education, Drug Enfrorcement, Drug Prevention, Dru

Drug addiction is a complex but treatable disease. It is characterized by compulsive drug craving, seeking, and use that persist
even in the face of severe adverse consequences. For many people, drug abuse becomes chronic, with relapses possible even
after long periods of abstinence. In fact, relapse to drug abuse occurs at rates similar to those for other well-characterized, chronic
medical illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, and asthma. As a chronic, recurring illness, addiction may require repeated
episodes of treatment before sustained abstinence is achieved. Through treatment tailored to individual needs, people with drug
addiction can recover and lead productive lives.

The ultimate goal of drug addiction treatment is to enable an individual to achieve lasting abstinence, but the immediate goals
are to reduce drug abuse, improve the patient's ability to function, and minimize the medical and social complications of drug
abuse and addiction. Like people with diabetes or heart disease, people in treatment for drug addiction will also need to change
their behavior to adopt a more healthful lifestyle.

In 2006, 23.6 million persons aged 12 or older needed treatment for an illicit drug or alcohol use problem (9.6 percent of the
persons aged 12 or older). Of these, 2.5 million (10.8 percent of those who needed treatment) received treatment at a specialty
facility. Thus, 21.2 million persons (8.6 percent of the population aged 12 or older) needed treatment for an illicit drug or alcohol
use problem but did not receive it. These estimates are similar to the estimates for 2005.*

Untreated substance abuse and addiction add significant costs to families and communities, including those related to violence
and property crimes, prison expenses, court and criminal costs, emergency room visits, healthcare utilization, child abuse and
neglect, lost child support, foster care and welfare costs, reduced productivity, and unemployment.

The cost to society of illicit drug abuse alone is $181 billion annually.1 When combined with alcohol and tobacco costs, they
exceed $500 billion including healthcare, criminal justice, and lost productivity.2,3 Successful drug abuse treatment can help
reduce these costs in addition to crime, and the spread of HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, and other infectious diseases. It is estimated that for
every dollar spent on addiction treatment programs, there is a $4 to $7 reduction in the cost of drug-related crimes. With some
outpatient programs, total savings can exceed costs by a ratio of 12:1.