Author: COREUSA

My name is Mike Banks and I am an addict. I was brought up in an upper middle class family. I had good grades in school and was very loved by both of my parents. By the time I was a freshman in high school, I started drinking beer and smoking marijuana every weekend. I thought this was normal as did all my friends and we never got into any trouble. Continue reading →

My name is Dinah Rich and I am 47 years old. I have 6 children and one daughter who is deceased. I started using alcohol and drugs when I was 11 years old. My upbringing was abusive and by the age of 17 I was a full-fledged addict.

I dropped out of school and started to move around the country. I tried to change my life by moving, but, when my daughter died, I continued to make bad choices. Continue reading →

The destructive nature of alcohol and drug abuse results in a hefty price tag. It presents a significant economic cost that is placed on Missouri families, businesses, communities, and government. People will have different views regarding morals, character and retribution directed at the individual who develops an addiction. The bottom line, however, is that an untreated substance abuser is more expensive to society than the cost of getting the abuser into treatment and preventing the non-user from initiating use.

 

“The Burden of Substance Abuse on the State of Missouri”
– Department of Mental Health (2008)