• Addiction Treatment In California
• Alcohol, Tobacco And Illicit Drug Addiction Mechanism
• Profile On Substance Abuse And Addiction In California
• Impact Of Substance Addiction In California
• Substance Addiction Treatment In California
• Addiction Treatment Approaches In California
• Family Addiction Treatment In California
• Substance Addiction Treatment And Rehabilitation Centers In California

Impact Of Substance Addiction In California

Misuse of alcohol, tobacco and illicit drugs has had and continues to have negative effects on California in general. The increase in California's health care cost can directly be linked to these substances.

a) Tobacco: The impact of cigarette smoking is enormous and costly. Smoking alone kills more people in California than any other drug-related disease. The rate of smoking has generally reduced in California but the long-term effects of those who used to smoke is still being felt. Diseases that emerged then are taking their toll on the population and it will take some time before the effects of smoking reduction can be realized. Out of about 42,000 Californians who die each year from diseases caused by cigarette smoking, over 13,000 die from lung cancer.

b) Alcohol: Alcohol related deaths in California average 13,000 annually. This figure is inclusive of alcohol-related diseases and from road carnage as a result of driving while drunk. Alcohol abusers suffer from liver, pancreas and heart problems, with liver disease alone accounting for 4,000 deaths annually. Apart from alcohol-related deaths, alcohol-related injuries are also prevalent, with most resulting from road accidents.

c) Drug misuse: Deaths occurring from drug misuse in California increased by 40% from 1991 to 1993. Of the 2,800 deaths reported from drug-related causes, over 50% were of overdose. The misuse of methamphetamine in particular has been reported to be the main cause of drug-related deaths.

d) Illicit Drugs: The use of illicit drugs is exerting its toll on California's health care system. The Centre of Disease Control and Prevention reports that cases of Tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Diseases are on the increase. Cases of TB have been noted to be amongst people who use illicit drugs. These people also involve themselves in unsafe sexual activities, resulting in increased HIV infections. The use of injection needles amongst illicit drug users has been noted to be the main mode of HIV transmission. Other sexually transmitted diseases increase because misuse of alcohol and other drugs result in users having irresponsible sexual behaviors.

e) The huge population coupled with high unemployment rate in California has pushed most adults into using illicit drugs, alcohol and tobacco in frustration. The situation is made worse by youth who drop out of school or college and engage in drugs, leading to addiction. This in effect has raised crime levels and security concerns. This has stretched the state's security organs to their limit, requiring huge budgetary allocations to efficiently perform their duties.

With all these challenges, California's Alcohol and Drug Program (ADP) has a huge task of educating the public while at the same time managing treatment programs for alcohol and drug abductees. Prison authorities too have a challenge to offer treatment for the addiction inmates in partnership with ADP. All this endeavors need huge budgetary allocations to be effectively managed. ADP's efforts have borne fruit in some areas, particularly in reducing rates of substance abuse and in treatments. Despite these facts, there is still a lot that needs to be done in this respect.