The Economic Costs of Drug Abuse in the United States: 1992-1998
September 2001
Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP)
This report, developed for The Office of National Drug Control Policy, presents new estimates of the societal cost of drug abuse. The most recent previous estimates of drug abuse related costs are for 1995. In addition, the report provides annual estimates for 1992 through 1998 and projections for 1999 and 2000 that are consistently developed, so that trends in the overall societal cost and in component costs of drug abuse can be evaluated. In developing the report, p articular emphasis was placed on estimating the health-related consequences and costs of illicit drug abuse, including the costs of substance abuse treatment for comorbid health problems. Other major economic costs of drug abuse estimated include: premature mortality, victim loss from drug-related property and violent crime (and child abuse), social welfare services, criminal justice expenditures, workplace and household productivity impacts, and "crime career" costs.