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Anyone who thinks that substance abuse only affects the individual who is using is wrong, when recovery from addiction occurs everyone benefits and if the substance abuse continues unchecked then everyone pays a price. Drugs and alcohol are common problems across almost all age groups and these issues occur at all income levels. There is a misconception that substance abusers come from poor economic backgrounds but this is a dangerous way to think. Drug abuse and alcohol addiction cost everyone in society. When children are removed from homes, when substance abuse causes absenteeism on the job or in school, and when medical problems related to substance abuse rise up taxpayers often foot the bill. The financial cost of substance abuse to society as a whole is staggering, and no one is immune from these costs.

Unfortunately recovery from addiction is not a goal that everyone with substance abuse issues may reach. The costs involved with this type of treatment may make some hesitant to seek out the substance abuse treatment that they truly need. The cost to society when drug or alcohol abuse is allowed to continue can be quite large, and in the USA alone it is estimated that billions of dollars are lost by companies whose employees call in sick or suffer from lower production rates as a result of their substance abuse. The health costs associated with drug or alcohol addiction are also extremely high, because these harmful substances can cause many different medical problems and diseases.