The government's Recovery Month website states, "The Recovery Month effort aims to promote the societal benefits of alcohol and drug use disorder treatment, laud the contributions of treatment providers and promote the message that recovery from alcohol and drug use disorders in all its forms is possible." But, do we really need a month dedicated to this effort?

According to the website Alcoholism Resources alcoholism effects 17.6 million individuals and the 2004 National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that 22.5 million Americans aged 12 or over were classified with substance dependence or abuse. This second figure would include both alcohol and illicit drugs. What neither number takes into account, however, is the number of people who dont abuse alcohol or drugs, but are impacted by those who do. It is easy to imagine that this number could easily be twelve times as great as the number of actual individuals with dependence when one considers family member, employers, coworkers, and victims of crimes perpetrated under the influence.

The last year for which the total economic costs of alcohol and drug dependence is reported on the Recovery Month website is 1998. The combined cost of all economic loss during that year is a staggering 328 billion dollars. In 2001, it is estimated that 18 billion dollars were spent on treatment for alcohol and drug dependence.

The amount spent on treatment turns out to be an excellent investment with a seven-dollar return on investment (ROI) for every dollar spent on treatment. Knowing the astronomical economic loss from drug and alcohol dependence, and the ROI one might think that a wise government would invest every dollar needed to provide treatment for all alcohol and drug dependent individuals. This is the position that but according to findings from the 2004, National Survey on Drug Use and Health 1.8 million people realized they needed treatment, but did not receive it, and 441,000 of these individuals said it was because they could not afford it. In addition to the 1.8 million individuals who knew they needed treatment, but did not get it, a further 19.3 million Americans also needed treatment but did not know it.

Is there a need for a month dedicated to recovery from alcohol and addiction? Yes. Addictions Resources encourages everyone to contact their legislators during Recovery Month and ask them to commit more resources to addiction treatment.