Source: AAFP Washington, DC, office and Health Policy Institute of Ohio
On November 17, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy released the first ever surgeon general’s report on alcohol, drugs, and health. The report, Facing Addiction in America, pulls together the latest information on the health impacts of drug and alcohol misuse, as well as on the issues surrounding treatment and prevention. It offers reasons for optimism despite a still-increasing overdose epidemic that has killed more than 500,000 Americans since 2000, and it presents evidence that addiction is a treatable brain disease, with new therapies under development.
The landmark report finds alcohol and drug misuse and severe substance use disorders to be one of America’s most pressing public health concerns, with close to 21 million Americans suffering from addiction. Only one in 10 people with substance abuse disorders receive treatment. Surgeon General Murthy called the current epidemic “a moral test for America.”
“We would never tolerate a situation where only one in 10 people with cancer or diabetes gets treatment, and yet we do that with substance abuse disorders,” he said.
The economic impact of drug and alcohol misuse and addiction amounts to $442 billion annually. The impact of diabetes is $245 billion. The report concludes with five messages and implications for policy and practice which focus on expanding access to effective, evidence-based treatments for those suffering from addiction.