When President Nixon first declared “War” on drugs around 1970, 80% of the budget went towards treatment. Since those first years however, our spending ratio has reversed so that about 80% of funding goes towards law enforcement while only 20% is allotted for treatment and prevention services.

This country needs Treatment on Demand. As you will learn from reading these stories, addiction is a consuming disease. Patients are most often successful with drug addiction treatment when they are ready to assume responsibility for their recovery and when they have the resources and support necessary to do so. Throughout much of the country, Americans with substance addictions are forced to wait days, weeks, and sometimes years to get into treatment programs; especially for those specialized programs that address co-occurring disorders, such as mental illness or HIV, in-patient programs, and facilities that allow women to bring their children with them. This is ineffective and inhumane.

When someone is ready for treatment- when someone is finally seeking treatment- a special window of opportunity opens that must not be neglected. Patients must be able to get into treatment the day they ask for it.