Drugs and Alcohol

The topic of the impacts of alcohol and drug addiction has on society, is a personal subject that haunts families, communities, and the economy. Alcoholism adversely affects every part of a person's livelihood and it ranges from loss of jobs, deaths, failed marriages, and even a high rate of adolescents quitting school early (Alcohol Impact, 2009). All of these negative results damage the economy within society.

A look at loss of jobs has a profound impact on society, because the burden of financially supporting those who are jobless rests on the working taxpayers. The increase in unemployment has a financial trickle effect it goes through to stabilize the economy. Someone has to pay for food, housing and healthcare for the unemployed, and it seems as though taxpayers bears that burden.

The damaging results that lead to a high mortality rate because of alcoholism starts with the drunk drivers. Not only the drunk driver, but innocent lives are in peril when alcohol is the main cause of a vehicle accident. There is no fixing death when it occurs. The mental anguish the families must go through from losing a loved one and the legal process the drunk driver must bear, because of their careless actions of drinking and driving. Again, this propels the financial burden of supporting the legal system and healthcare system by the taxpayers.

Drug addiction has the same profound impacts on society, as that of alcohol. It costs the U.S. Economy billions of dollars each year because drugs and alcohol related incidences. The financial burden society faces is the result of social welfare financing, high crime and incarceration costs associated with drugs and alcohol, medical and treatment centers expenses, budgetary increase in labor industries because of time away from work (Treatment Centers, 2012).

The despair society has consumed because the ongoing epidemic of alcohol / drug addiction has given, only plagues the entire nation. The financial struggles and emotional turmoil is a never ending battle society has to tolerate when dealing with this problem. Social reform programs are an asset in combating this situation, but not a cure for all. Unless each person endures the struggles associated with drugs and alcohol addiction or knows of someone who is going through it themselves, society cannot comprehend the ramifications accompany with it (Treatment Centers, 2012).