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August 27, 2004
Meth Cost Study
A new study estimates that meth use costs Benton Co. employers about $21 Million per year.
•Workers’ compensation claims for methamphetamine users are estimated at $269,184;
• Employee turnover because of methamphetamine use costs are estimated at $312,276;
• Health-care costs paid by companies for workers who use methamphetamine are estimated at $674,788;
• Employee theft among methamphetamine users is estimated at $1,973,864;
• Loss of productivity because of methamphetamine use is estimated at $6,698,312; and,
• Employee absenteeism because of methamphetamine use is estimated at $11,241,922.
And the Benton Co. prosecutor pointed out some other costs of meth use.
Balfe, who spoke at the press conference, noted that methamphetamine use effects everyone, not just law enforcement and the judicial system. Schools are made unsafe by drug use, hospitals are taxed by health problems as a result of drug use, and citizens have to deal with higher crime rates related to drug use, Balfe said. "Every single person in this county has a stake," Balfe said.
Violent crimes are also related to drug use, according to the prosecutor. Most of the homicides Balfe’s office has prosecuted in the last couple of years have been drug-related. He pointed to the example of Davis Don Carpenter and Joshua Brown, who, under influence of methamphetamine, killed and raped an 11-year old boy; and to the case of Jerome Malitan DeAsis, who, while on the drug, cut the throat of his 5-month-old son.
Not to mention the increase in child abuse that meth use causes.
Meth's some costly, bad stuff.
Posted by Rita at August 27, 2004 07:28 AM
Comments
And since our ambitions rarely go beyond our direct experiences, it becomes a preferred way of life for their subsequent generations.
Posted by: kenneth at August 27, 2004 08:24 AM
Not to mention the health costs of the subsequent generations who were exposed to all those chemicals while they were very young. There's even been a couple of cases of very young kids (5 & under) hospitalized for ingesting meth. Their parents of course swore they had no idea where their kids could've gotten access to meth.
Riiiight.
Posted by: rita at August 27, 2004 08:41 AM
I had a cousin who died very recently and who was on meth. The family said he'd been on it for about a year, but god does it hurt. In one way I can completely understand his need to feel numb, but I am now starting to feel anger that he died so young. (he was shot by cops...very long story) I myself would never do it because I have seen what it can do to people. But if it's not meth, it's going to be some other drug. People are always looking for that quick high, that perfect drug that will just numb them completely from the pain in their life. :(
Posted by: Tam at August 28, 2004 01:38 AM