Chapter 30: Opportunities in the Pharmacotherapy of Addiction

Opportunities in the pharmacotherapy of addiction Substance abuse – including the inappropriate use of alcohol, illegal and prescription drugs, and nicotine – is a significant societal and healthcare issue in the United States. In 2003, almost 18 million people in the United States abused or were dependent on alcohol, and almost 20 million were illicit drug users. (Note that there is considerable overlap in these numbers because many people abuse both alcohol and drugs.) The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) report that the economic cost of alcohol and drug abuse was $328.4 billion in 1998, encompassing treatment and prevention costs, other healthcare costs, reduced productivity and lost wages, and other costs to society. Drug abuse accounted for $143.4 billion of this amount, and $185 billion resulted from alcohol abuse. Despite the significant need for improved therapies, treatment of alcohol ...

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