While we see the value and light-heartedness in the partaking of psychedelics, we also recognize that there is a difference between recreational use and harmful substance abuse. If you or someone you love are struggling with substance abuse, we list some important resources for you to use at the end of this article.
What Is National Drug Abuse Prevention Month?
With this October comes the tenth annual National Drug Abuse Prevention Month, which aims to raise awareness about the importance of substance abuse prevention in both individual and community health. It’s also an opportunity to honor those who have died as a result of substance abuse.
The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy supports President Barack Obama in recognizing National Substance Abuse Prevention Month and urging prevention efforts throughout the year to protect the health of teens and young adults.
Substance abuse affects millions of Americans. This includes underage drinking, alcoholism, non-medical prescription drug usage, abuse of over-the-counter pharmaceuticals, and illicit drug use. Here are some alarming statistics: young people aged 12-20 consume 11% of all the alcohol consumed in the United States each month, and in 2010, over 23 million people aged 12 and up reported using illicit substances.
According to Youth.gov, every dollar invested in an evidence-based prevention program can save an average of $18.3 in costs connected to substance use disorders. In April 2012, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy announced the National Drug Control Strategy (2012) to enhance the Administration’s prevention efforts, recognizing the value of prevention. This strategy details recent advancements in efforts to reduce drug use and its repercussions, as well as a research-based plan to reduce drug use and its consequences by 15% over the following five years.
During Joe Biden’s presidency, the ONDCP released an update of this strategy, reporting new findings:
“Since 2015, overdose death numbers have risen 35 percent, reaching a historic high of 70,630 deaths in 2019. This is a greater rate of increase than for any other type of injury death in the United States. Though illicitly manufactured fentanyl and synthetic opioids other than methadone (SOOTM) have been the primary driver behind the increase, overdose deaths
involving cocaine and other psychostimulants, like methamphetamine, have also risen in recent
years, particularly in combination with SOOTM. New data suggest that COVID-19 has exacerbated the epidemic, and increases in overdose mortality have underscored systemic
inequities in our nation’s approach to criminal justice and prevention, treatment, and recovery.”
Biden’s Administration has passed a law that “appropriated nearly $4 billion to enable the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and the Health Resources and Services Administration to expand access to vital behavioral health services,” and POTUS reports that he aims to offer more opportunities for substance abuse treatment as opposed to incarceration.
