When one sees a headline like Report: “Nearly $500 billion spent in U.S. on substance abuse, addiction” what thoughts do usually come to mind? That we are doing very well on this front and that we have achieved something during recent times are some of them? Actually, the results in the detailed report speak otherwise.
In 2005 it cost $500 billion to US government for substance abuse, addiction and its consequences. Compared this to Iraq war costs – these numbers are not comparable for various reasons but they do show the order of damage. In 2005 the Iraq war cost was less than $500 billion! So there is a less costly war we hear so much about and then there is a more expensive that goes unnoticed until a headline comes and goes by.
One argument, albeit very weak, that is made on such a topic is Iraq war costs us lives. Trust me when I repeat the ...