title: The economic costs of heroin addiction in the United States.
abstract: This study documents the costs of heroin addiction in the United States, both to the addict and society at large. Using a cost-of-illness approach, costs were estimated in four broad areas: medical care, lost productivity, crime, and social welfare. We estimate that the cost of heroin addiction in the United States was US$21.9 billion in 1996. Of these costs, productivity losses accounted for approximately US$11.5 billion (53%), criminal activities US$5.2 billion (24%), medical care US$5.0 billion (23%), and social welfare US$0.1 billion (0.5%). The large economic burden resulting from heroin addiction highlights the importance of investment in prevention and treatment.
authors.affiliation: The MEDSTAT Group, Inc., 4301 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 330, Washington, DC 20008, USA. tami.mark@medstat.com
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Mark
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Woody
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Juday
authors.forename: H D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Kleber
mesh_terms: D017281:Cost of Illness; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers / Q000191:economics*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D017132:Workplace / Q000191:economics