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DrugScreening.org


 
Addiction Causes Homelessness, Most Believe
November 15, 2007

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News Summary

A new Gallup poll finds that most Americans think homelessness is largely caused by alcohol and other drug abuse, but still think more should be done to address the problem, the Associated Press reported Nov. 14.

The poll, funded by mortgage company Fannie Mae, found that more than 80 percent of the 1,000 people polled blamed addiction for causing homelessness, while about 70 percent cited mental illness. By comparison, only 67 percent thought homelessness was caused by insufficient income, and 65 percent cited job loss.

Ninety-two percent of those polled said more effort is needed to prevent homelessness.

COMMENTS ON THIS ARTICLE:

Posted by Dina on 21 May 08 11:45 PM EDT
Homelessness is very expensive to taxpayers and the community in terms of acute/emergency services and lost productivity. And, Tamba must be joking: no one really WANTS to be homeless. Now, after a long downhill slide that could have been prevented given the right combination of services and the individual's timing (many fall through cracks despite their efforts at finding help due to barriers to services erected by the services) they may prefer to be homeless as opposed to following rules they find abhorrent or dealing with others in a shelter system (everyone insists on holding on to some shred of dignity, even when it comes to giving up on housing).

Posted by Tamba on 25 Mar 08 05:36 PM EDT
By the way this wasn't a coment on the article....this was a comment for a comment.

Posted by Tamba on 25 Mar 08 05:33 PM EDT
It's not fair that just because somebody doesn't have money they have to live on the street right? RIGHT! BUT, why don'r the homeless have that money? They probably choose NOT to work. Did you ever think about that? If they choose not to work then that's their own problem. They are the ones that choose to get addicted to drugs and alchohol. So, why are we gettimg im their way? It's their choice to become homeless. We can't choose for them. This is a free country and I don't think we should be choosing what people do so the will or won't become homeless. Allot of people may disagree with me but I am telling what I think.

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