Heroin abuse is associated with a number of serious health conditions, including fatal overdose and infectious diseases like hepatitis and HIV. Chronic users may develop collapsed veins, infection of the heart lining and valves, abscesses, constipation and gastrointestinal cramping, and liver or kidney disease. Pulmonary complications, including various types of pneumonia, may result from the poor health of the user as well as from heroin’s effects on breathing.
Using cost-of-illness methodology applied to a comprehensive survey of 114 daily opiate users not currently in or seeking treatment for their addiction and the social costs of untreated opioid dependence in Toronto, Canada. The 1996 survey collected data on social and demographic characteristics, drug use history, physical and mental health status, the use of health care and substance treatment services, drug use modality and sex-related risks of …show more content…
The Costs of Substance Abuse in Canada 2002 was released in April, 2006. The study estimated the total societal cost of substance abuse to be $39.8 billion or $1,267 for every Canadian. The study also revealed that illegal drugs which includes heroin account for 20.7% ($8.2 billion), (Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse,2003). At almost $40 billion, the social costs of substance abuse were considerable for Canada, and they seem to have increased over the past decade, particularly for illegal drugs. Neither the current level, nor the past increases in social costs for substance abuse are inevitable, as there are cost-effective, evidence-based approaches to reducing substance attributable costs in available literature (Rehm, et al., 2006). Substance abuse is a significant drain on Canada’s economy through its direct impact on the healthcare and criminal justice systems, and its indirect impact on productivity, as a result of premature death and ill
Using cost-of-illness methodology applied to a comprehensive survey of 114 daily opiate users not currently in or seeking treatment for their addiction and the social costs of untreated opioid dependence in Toronto, Canada. The 1996 survey collected data on social and demographic characteristics, drug use history, physical and mental health status, the use of health care and substance treatment services, drug use modality and sex-related risks of …show more content…
The Costs of Substance Abuse in Canada 2002 was released in April, 2006. The study estimated the total societal cost of substance abuse to be $39.8 billion or $1,267 for every Canadian. The study also revealed that illegal drugs which includes heroin account for 20.7% ($8.2 billion), (Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse,2003). At almost $40 billion, the social costs of substance abuse were considerable for Canada, and they seem to have increased over the past decade, particularly for illegal drugs. Neither the current level, nor the past increases in social costs for substance abuse are inevitable, as there are cost-effective, evidence-based approaches to reducing substance attributable costs in available literature (Rehm, et al., 2006). Substance abuse is a significant drain on Canada’s economy through its direct impact on the healthcare and criminal justice systems, and its indirect impact on productivity, as a result of premature death and ill