SUBSTANCE ABUSE TAKES TOLL ON FLA.

The impact of alcohol and other drug use permeates every facet of
daily life. Assemble 10 individuals in a room and four will be
directly impacted by substance abuse, whether it be a child expelled
from school for drug use, a parent self-medicating, a spouse who lost
a job because of heavy drinking, a loved one killed by a drunken
driver or an overdose in the emergency room. Another three of those
10 will reveal that an uncle, aunt, friend or minister suffered the
consequences of a substance-abuse problem.

The troubles associated with substance abuse cut equally across all
segments of society from the rich, famous and powerful to the
homeless person living on the street. In all these situations there
remains one common thread - substance abuse robs each individual
affected by its consequences, directly or indirectly, of a prosperous
and full life. In Florida, substance-abuse problems take a major toll
on the health and safety of its citizens as well as a fiscal toll on
the economy of the state.

For example:

One out of every 14 hospital stays includes a person with
substance-related disorders.

70 percent of youths removed by the child-welfare system are removed
as a direct result of a parental substance-abuse problem.

7,741 Floridians died from drug-related deaths last year.

41 percent of Florida's traffic fatalities are alcohol-related.

70 percent of all Department of Corrections inmates, approximately
65,000 individuals, have a substance-abuse problem.

The irony of the situation is that, because of the emerging science
of addiction, we know what works to change lives. What is missing is
the willingness to invest in the substance-abuse prevention and
treatment programs that will change behavior patterns before heavy
addiction sets in. The Department of Children & Families estimates
that only 30 percent of Floridians who need substance-abuse treatment
are able to access treatment in our state.

While research clearly shows that substance-abuse treatment saves
medical and emergency room costs, the insurance industry continues to
oppose parity legislation so that substance-abuse is not treated as
all other chronic medical conditions, making recovery a difficult and
costly proposition for those who seek treatment.

September is National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month, an
opportunity to celebrate the miracle of recovery and improve our
efforts to help those in Florida who seek treatment. The Florida
Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association and our statewide members are
committed to facilitating the dialogue on how the state of Florida
must invest in substance-abuse prevention and treatment programs, and
ensure existing programs are not cut.

We are working to reduce the negative stigma of a substance-abuse
problem and continuing to implement evidence-based prevention and
treatment programs that ensure the state's limited resources are used wisely.

Each day, individuals enter treatment and recovery support services
and detour from a path of destruction onto a path of fulfillment.
Substance-abuse prevention and treatment programs are effective. It
is a wise investment that will save lives and insure a safer Florida.

Mark Fontaine is the executive director of the Florida Alcohol and
Drug Abuse Association.