According to NIDA, the "National Institute of Drug Abuse,” the total costs of drug abuse and addiction due to use of tobacco, alcohol and illegal drugs are estimated at $524 billion a year.  Substance abuse costs our society. It is major public health problem that is linked to chronic diseases and it is a contributor to a variety of social problems, including traffic accidents, relationship violence and child abuse.

Learning how to prevent substance abuse is everyone’s responsibility. It is equally important to understand that addiction is a treatable disease.