Advocates Seek Change in Addressing Substance Abuse
From the Tallahassee Democrat
By Iricka Berlinger
DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER
Substance abuse in Florida is costing taxpayers more than $43 billion each year on alcohol or drug-related incarcerations, hospitalizations and deaths.
In research completed by the Florida Substance Abuse and Mental Health Corporation and Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association, the organizations found the state's economic impact by examining the number of illnesses, fatal injuries, traffic collisions and crimes related to drug or alcohol use.
"The yearly impact of alcohol use alone is reflected in nearly 6,300 deaths, 69,000 incidents of illness and 82,000 traffic collisions. And the impact of drug use is evidenced by 4,500 deaths, 11,000 ER visits and 162,000 incidents of crime," said Ellen Piekalkiewicz, executive director of the Florida Substance Abuse and Mental Health Corporation.
"Substance abuse is a public health crisis and it's important to start getting the word out," said Mark Fontaine, executive director of the foundation.
Fontaine and Piekalkiewicz, along with public and private sector leaders, are determined to get the conversation started with taxpayers and the legislature about prevention and treatment programs, but they said the negative stigma around abuse makes people shy away from the topic.
"Substance abuse needs to be a health-care issue, not just a criminal justice issue," Piekalkiewicz said.
The advocates would like to see changes this legislative season that will start bringing the exorbitant costs down and bring help to those who suffer from abuse. Suggestions such as revenue from excise taxes going toward prevention and treatment and the proper funding of such programs are recommendations that will help with the costs.