DRUG TREATMENT: A STRATEGY THAT SAVES TAXES AND CUTS CRIME

NO MAGIC BULLET can eradicate drug abuse overnight, but treatment does bring
sustained reduction in drug use. Drugs purport to be an "instant" answer --
whether to boredom, anxiety, frustration, thrill-seeking or pain. By
contrast, the solution to the drug problem for the individual and the
country is anything but instant.

We can make headway against this difficult problem by adopting a long-range
approach that demands patience and perseverance.

Illegal drugs cost our country $110 billion in damages and 52,000 dead each
year. Drugs are among the most important factors in the confinement of an
enormous number of inmates. Drug offenders in state and federal prison have
extensive criminal histories. Estimates indicate that the United States has
only about half the treatment capacity needed for all the country's addicts
and just 7 percent of what is necessary for addicted prisoners. Treatment
for substance abuse is vital to addressing rampant crime and rising
health-care costs associated with illegal drugs.

For women and men of all ages, regardless of the type of drug problem, the
National Institute of Drug Abuse has found that treatment works when it is
structured, flexible, sufficiently long, and integrated with other forms of
rehabilitation. Drug treatment lowers medical costs, reduces accidents and
worker absenteeism, diminishes criminal behavior and cuts down on child
abuse and neglect.

Following drug treatment, recovering users require less public assistance,
are less likely to be homeless, contract fewer illnesses (including sexually
transmitted diseases), and are more productive. The Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Administration released the 1998 Services Research Outcomes
Study (SROS), a national representative survey of the effects of treatment
for patients suffering from drug and alcohol abuse. The SROS Study found
that use of any illicit drug dropped by 21 percent after treatment.
Treatment contributed to a 45 percent drop in cocaine use and a 28 percent
reduction in marijuana use. The study also found that criminal activity by
those who underwent treatment declined significantly.

There was a 56 percent drop in the number of addicts who stole cars, a 38
percent decline in breaking and entering, and a 23 percent decrease in the
victimization of other people.

The criminal justice and child-welfare systems simply must be capable of
providing effective drug treatment for large numbers of substance abusers.
The federal government also can play a leadership role in helping states
establish drug rehabilitation modeled on programs run by the Department of
Veterans Affairs and Federal Bureau of Prisons.

Treatment is critical at times of crisis, such as when a person loses a job
or is arrested because of drugs. U.S. law-enforcement officers emphasize the
need to break the cycle of crime and addiction. Unless treatment is readily
available in prison, former convicts will continue to inflict drug-generated
crime on our neighborhoods.

Drug addiction was once viewed exclusively as a moral problem or character
defect. Today , we understand it to be a chronic, recurring brain illness
with legal and social underpinnings. Drug addiction produces changes in
brain chemistry, but effective treatment can help restore chemical balance
and give patients a chance to regain control of their lives.

In conjunction with treatment, addicts need job training, relapse
prevention, supervision and support, psychological therapy and medication
(where indicated). All of these drug-treatment approaches as well as the
magic of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) contribute
to recovery and long-term abstinence. Equally important are aftercare
transitional treatment and community support.

The issue is not whether we can afford to pay for drug treatment. The
message of treatment is clear. People whose lives have been ravaged by drugs
can restore their dignity, reunite their families and strengthen society by
becoming productive citizens. The drug problem is multifaceted and requires
a comprehensive solution, which includes prevention and treatment along with
interdiction and law enforcement. We cannot succeed without all the
component parts.

For the first time in history, the demand-reduction portion of the drug
budget will exceed $6 billion in fiscal 2001. Since 1996, federal spending
on prevention will have increased 52 percent, and funds for treatment will
be up 32 percent. Providing effective drug treatment in our communities is
critical for breaking the cycle of addiction, violence and despair.

Treatment for America's drug users is both compassionate public policy and a
sound social investment.