Terrorism Increases Demand For Drug & Alcohol Treatment

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Terrorism Increases Demand For Drug & Alcohol Treatment
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13 States, Four Major Cities See Increased Demand for Drug and Alcohol Treatment Since September 11th

New York, NY-Thirteen states and four cities have detected an increased demand for alcohol and drug treatment since September 11th, according to a telephone survey of the individuals who oversee offices of substance abuse services in the states, the District of Columbia and the ten largest U.S. cities conducted by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA)* at Columbia University. Of the 41 states that responded to the survey, 13 detected an increase in demand for treatment since September 11th (Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Tennessee). Of the eight cities that responded to the survey, four, Washington D.C., New York City, Phoenix and Houston, detected an increased demand for substance abuse treatment. Four states and New York City characterized the increase as substantial.

"The Americans who are using drugs and alcohol to cope, or have relapsed from sobriety after the national tragedy, are the forgotten victims of September 11th," said Joseph A. Califano, Jr., CASA President and former U.S. Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare. "We must provide substance abuse treatment for those who need it, and be sensitive to the increased likelihood of substance abuse and relapse in the wake of the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks."

Research demonstrates that exposure to trauma puts an individual at four to five times greater risk of substance abuse, and stress is considered the number one cause of relapse to alcohol and drug abuse and addiction and smoking. Oklahoma experienced a dramatic increase in the need for treatment services in the two years following the bombing. One year after the bombing, three times as many residents of Oklahoma City reported increased drinking as those in a control community (Indianapolis). Rescue workers in Oklahoma City experienced elevated rates of substance abuse, depression and suicide.

"The greater magnitude and more intense national reach of the terrorism of September 11th, combined with the higher base rates of drug abuse in major cities, such as New York and Washington, D.C., suggest that the increase in the need for substance abuse treatment will be much greater than in the wake of Oklahoma City," said Califano.

Preliminary data already document increased substance use and treatment needs. The New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services reports that demand for alcohol and drug treatment in New York City increased immediately after the World Trade Center attacks. Preliminary national data from the Drug Evaluation Network System (DENS), developed by CASA and the University of Pennsylvania's Treatment Research Institute, show that treatment admissions have increased 10 to 12 percent nationally, post-disaster clients are older and have more complex needs, and individuals who have been sober for as long as 24 months are relapsing and being admitted into treatment.

"It is imperative that the federal government provide increased funding for drug and alcohol treatment to serve these individuals who have become victims of this September 11th tragedy," said Califano. "It is also critical that we launch a public education campaign to spread the message that stress places individuals at higher risk for alcohol and drug abuse and relapse. In this trying time, everyone, especially physicians, mental health providers and clergy, must be alert to the symptoms of substance abuse, aware that many individuals experiencing trauma and stress may be using alcohol and drugs to self-medicate their distress, and encourage these individuals to seek substance abuse treatment."

Though CASA was unable to obtain responses from all states, it is interesting to note that none of the western states surveyed reported an increased demand for treatment. New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Washington, D.C. and New York City, the areas closest to the attacks, all reported increased demand for treatment. Florida, the site of the first reports of anthrax, also reported an increased demand for substance abuse treatment.

Forty-one states and eight cities responded to CASA's survey. Thirteen states reported increased demand (Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Tennessee). Alaska, Kentucky, North Dakota and Tennessee characterized the increase as substantial. Four cities reported increased demand (Houston, New York City, Phoenix and Washington, D.C.). New York City characterized the increase as substantial. Twenty-one states did not see an increase in demand for treatment (Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oregon, South Carolina, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming); four cities did not see an increased demand (Detroit, Philadelphia, San Antonio and San Diego). Seven states (Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma and Texas) and one city (Chicago) did not know whether there was an increased demand for treatment. CASA was unable to obtain responses from nine states (California, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Virginia and Wisconsin) and two cities (Dallas and Los Angeles).

The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University is the only national organization that brings together under one roof all the professional disciplines needed to study and combat all types of substance abuse as they affect all aspects of society. CASA's missions are to: inform Americans of the economic and social costs of substance abuse and its impact on their lives; assess what works in prevention, treatment and law enforcement; encourage every individual and institution to take responsibility to combat substance abuse and addiction; provide those on the front lines with tools they need to succeed; and remove the stigma of substance abuse and replace shame and despair with hope.

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