Addiction Medicine: The Birth of a New Discipline

Substance use is highly prevalent, a substantial cause of morbidity and mortality and accounts for over $500 billion in economic costs in the United States annually. Quiz Ref IDThe 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH),¹ which surveyed Americans 12 years or older, reported that 32% binge drink and nearly 7% reported heavy drinking over the past 30 days. In addition, 9% of those surveyed reported illicit drug use during the past 30 days, and heroin use increased by 79% since 2007. Opioid overdoses are on the rise, now exceeding deaths from motor vehicle crashes. Similarly, the global impact on disability and mortality of substance use and the phenomenon of addiction that often follows is enormous.²