A major report from The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA*) at Columbia University shows that state governments spend, on average, over 15 percent of their entire budgets on substance abuse and addiction and its consequences.

The worst part is that for every dollar states spend on this problem, 94 cents goes to "shovel up" the consequences in public programs such as health care, criminal justice, education, child welfare and mental health -- and only about 2 pennies go to prevention, treatment and research programs to reduce this burden. This upside-down public policy wastes billions in taxpayer dollars at a time when resources are scarce, and results in untold human suffering.
 
Find out what West Virginia spends (PDF, 26 KB)

There is a better way. Our leaders must shift their investments toward effective prevention and treatment options in order to reduce the awful burden that untreated substance misuse and addiction place on our budgets -- and our citizens.

Tell your elected officials about this report

Learn more and read the report:

• Press release
  
• Introduction and Executive Summary (PDF, 541 KB)
  
• Full Report (PDF, 4.3 MB)
  
• Order print copies

* The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University is neither affiliated with, nor sponsored by, the National Court Appointed Special Advocate Association (also known as "CASA") or any of its member organizations, or any other organization with the name of 'CASA.'