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      3.IV.(a)     Social cost of Recreational Drug Use in Australia exceeds $50 billion annually -

Annual social costs of tobacco, alcohol and illicit drugs grew to $56.1 billion in 2004-5.


Counting the cost: estimates of the social costs of drug abuse in Australia in 1998-9 - Monograph Series No. 49 - by Collins & Lapsley estimate the aggregate annual social cost to Australia of drug abuse for '98-'99 was $34.44 billion:

                                                Alcohol          Tobacco         Illicit Drugs         All Drugs

                                             $m                  $m                     $m                  $m

                Tangible           5,541.3               7,586.7             5,107.0          18,340.8

                Intangible         2,019.0             13,476.3                968.8          16,099.0

                Total                 7,560.3             21,063.0             6,075.8           34,439.8

                Percentage         22.0%                 61.2%               17.6%             100.0%

Primary cost contributors to the above 2002 report were Crime, Health (net), Lost Productivity in the Workplace, Lost Productivity in the Home, Road Accidents and Fires.

In 2003 there were 1,705 deaths attributable to illicit drugs which has been the biggest movers amongst the above 4 drug categories.

Casual empiricism relying on data about the recent impact of amphetamine-type stimulants (Meth or ICE) particularly on the young, suggests that if the authors, Collins & Lapsley, repeated their 3rd analysis for 2007/08, the Annual Social Cost to Australia of Drug Abuse would exceed $50 billion.  

Annual social costs of tobacco, alcohol and illicit drugs grew to $56.1 billion in 2004-5.