April 2, 2002
Tuesday - 11:30 pm

NEW YORK - Twenty-three states, five cities and Washington, D.C. have detected an increased demand for alcohol and drug treatment since September 11, according to a new survey conducted by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University. The telephone survey of the offices of substance abuse services in 50 states, the ten largest U.S. cities and Washington, D.C. is a follow up to one conducted by CASA in late November/early December. That survey found 13 states, three cities and Washington, D.C. had seen an increased demand for such treatment.

"The rubble may be almost cleared away, but the lingering effects of September 11 and its aftermath are far from over," said Joseph A. Califano, Jr., CASA President and former U.S. Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare. "It is imperative to provide treatment for individuals who have turned to alcohol and drugs to cope or have relapsed from sobriety, so that they do not become the second wave of victims of our national tragedy."

Twenty-three states detected an increase in demand for substance abuse treatment since September 11 (Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Virginia). Of the ten cities that responded to the survey, five (Detroit, Houston, New York City, Philadelphia, Phoenix), detected an increased demand for treatment. Washington, D.C. also detected an increase. Six states (Alaska, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Kentucky and Tennessee), Detroit, Phoenix and Washington, D.C. characterized the increase as substantial.

The increased demand for treatment is clustered largely on the East Coast. Areas close to the attacks reported increased demands for treatment following September 11, including New York City, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. Massachusetts reported an increase in tobacco sales in addition to an increase in the demand for alcohol and drug treatment. Although Rhode Island did not see an increase in demand for substance abuse treatment, the state did report an increase in the need for mental health treatment.

Several states and cities farther away from the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks cited factors such as improved law enforcement, recession, rising unemployment, decreased tourism and new laws as additional reasons for the increased demand for treatment.

• Florida reported that the combination of heightened border security and more effective law enforcement has decreased drug availability and increased drug prices, leading more addicts to seek treatment.
• Alaska attributed much of its increased demand for alcohol treatment to lowering the legal blood alcohol content for determining driving under the influence to .08 on September 1. Nevertheless, the state reported that the increase in demand for alcohol treatment was higher than expected. The state also has seen a substantial increase in the demand for drug treatment since September 11.
• Arizona attributed its increase to the passage of Proposition 204 in October, which enlarged the population eligible for state health services, including substance abuse treatment.
• Hawaii cited a drop in tourism after September 11 and concern about the job market as reasons for the increase.
• Houston attributed its greater need for substance abuse treatment to the fall of Enron and the slump in the airline industry.

"The double whammy of the terrorist attacks and difficult economic conditions makes it essential for the federal government to provide increased funding for drug and alcohol treatment," said Califano. "Congress and the Administration must pay as much attention to providing individuals with the services to rebuild their lives as they are to providing resources to rebuild physical facilities."

CASA expresses its appreciation to the National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors for help in identifying the offices in each of the states responsible for substance abuse services. Offices responded to the following two questions: In your state/city, have you detected an increased demand for alcohol treatment since September 11? In your state/city, have you detected an increased demand for drug treatment since September 11? If respondents answered yes to a question, they were asked if they would describe the increase as substantial. The survey was conducted between March 11 and March 25, six months after the events of September 11.

Twenty-two states did not see an increased demand for treatment (Arkansas, California, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.); four of the cities surveyed did not see an increased demand (Chicago, Dallas, San Antonio and San Diego). Five states and one city did not have sufficient data to determine whether or not there was an increased demand for treatment (Maryland, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Vermont and Los Angeles).

In CASA's previous survey, 13 states reported an increased demand for alcohol and drug treatment (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. Three cities (Houston, New York City and Phoenix) and Washington, D.C. reported an increased demand. New York City characterized the increase as substantial.

Note: 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.

With a staff of 74 professionals, CASA has conducted demonstration projects in 60 sites in 32 cities and 21 states focused on children, families and schools, and has been testing the effectiveness of drug and alcohol treatment, monitoring 15,000 individuals in more than 200 programs and five drug courts in 26 states.

Source of News Release:

The National Center On Addiction & Substance Abuse At Columbia University
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