Drugs Cost More Than You Think
If you are speculating about the costs of drugs, you may be thinking about the costs of purchasing prescription drugs or illicit ones like heroin, cocaine, meth etc. For people who have health insurance, prescription drugs such as Oxycodone or Percocet might be nominal co-pays. However, these are hard to come by in an era of strict prescription drug legislation aimed at curtailing the opioid epidemic. While it is tricky to determine the exact price of street drugs, we know that prices can fluctuate based on location and demand. For example, when Homeland Security or the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) seize enormous shipments of Fentanyl, street supplies dwindle, and this scarcity drives up costs. This is simple supply and demand economics.
Notwithstanding the cost variance among different drugs, it is prudent to say that drug abuse and addiction is more costly than most can imagine.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, drug addiction costs the United States over $740 billion each year, including costs related to crime, lost work output and medical care.
The Steep Cost of Drug Abuse
While the daily / weekly / monthly cost of drugs can range from 100’s to 1000’s, it is nothing compared to the total impacted cost to you, your family, employer, community, and the federal government.
For instance, drug addicts tend to miss a lot of work and companies pay for sick days, but lose the productivity for that time lost. Also, sooner or later, drug addiction will find a person on the wrong side of the law who will then incur legal fees associated with drug-related criminal charges. At the same time, addiction has skyrocketed insurance costs that pay direct and indirect fees related to consequences like overdose, liver problems or disease from sharing needles. All these things must be paid for, and someone must pick up the tab.
Health insurance claims related to substance abuse have increased sharply over the last decade. Prior to 2010, claims relating to addiction used to represent 2%-3% of total healthcare claims for the insurance industry. Today, it is more than double that which translates to billions of dollars in increased claims. Lastly, it’s not uncommon for parents to empty their savings account or take out a second mortgage on their house in order to help their addicted child get better. Get the picture?
Consequences of Drug Addiction
Outside the costs related with buying drugs, you will likely suffer numerous consequences of drug addiction. It is likely that your relationships will suffer when you become more interested in drugs than being with your family. You may also find that you have lost interest in hobbies you once enjoyed and cannot get anything done because you are wasting so much time looking for and using drugs.
You are also going to crave drugs and when you do not have enough of them in your body, you will begin to suffer withdrawal symptoms, pushing you to spend even more money on drugs. Also, abusing drugs likely puts you at risk of unsafe behavior, such as driving impaired. This can lead to destructive outcomes, including collisions, injuries, jail, and even death. While this may go without saying, you might also have a fatal overdose. Obviously, addiction's negative consequences reach far beyond the high costs of the drugs themselves.
Getting Help for Addiction
If the high prices of drugs have got you down, chances are you are suffering other adverse impacts of drug addiction that have led you to ask for help.
No matter what your reason is for seeking addiction treatment, it is important to select a treatment program that meets your individual requirements.
At Simple Path Recovery, we create personalized treatment plans that accommodate to your distinctive circumstance. We leverage best-in-breed evidence-based treatment, which includes medication assisted treatment, along with a variety of treatment modalities. As a top South Florida boutique rehab, we offer a low client-therapist ratio of only 4:1. Clients come from all over the United States to find an intimate atmosphere of hope, healing, and recovery.
Simple Path Recovery is an oceanside, boutique addiction treatment center located in Pompano Beach, FL. Recognized as a Top Florida Drug & Alcohol Rehab, Simple Path is committed to individualized care, 12-step integration, and Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT). Their addiction helpline is available 24/7 at 855-467-3625.
About the Author
Matthew Koenig is the principal of Last Call Marketing, which devotes their efforts to Digital Marketing, Content Marketing, Website Design and SEO, primarily in healthcare and tourism concerns. Mr. Koenig is based out of South Florida. His sober date is June 10, 2013.
