Solutions to the Economic Damage Caused by Addiction

Over the past 12 months, the number of unemployed persons has increased rapidly. As of January 2009, we have more than 11 million people unemployed. Everything equal would an employer hire a recovering addict? If you were an addict just leaving drug treatment center would you disclose this to a potential employer? I didn’t. I said I was returning from an extended trip to Europe in my first interview after rehab. I got the job.

Here is an interesting statistic from the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA); in 2006, 23.6 million persons aged 12 or older needed treatment for an illicit drug or alcohol use problem. Out of the 23.6 million people needing treatment only 2.5 million received treatment.

Doing a little math - 23 million people need treatment and 11 million are unemployed; could it be that 12 million people are using on the job? Watch out employers! Looking back, I feel tremendous regret for the companies that gave me a job. I was a walking time bomb. My employers were blindsided by my addiction; I missed a lot of work, took extended lunch hours, I stole from my employers, I performed very poorly. Yet I was rarely fired. I am very smart and resourceful. I was able to con most employers or do just enough to get by.

Contrast my performance as a using addict with “me” sober and in recovery; I have started 5 businesses, sold 3, 2 privately, 1 publicly, 2 I still have ownership in; 4 of the 5 are still in business. I have employed hundreds of people, pay my taxes, give to charity and help other addicts through the 12 Angels and my personal 12 Step work. Is my transformation unique? I don’t think so. I am a small potato compared to many of my clean and sober friends. I know recovering addicts who run very large companies, employ thousands of people, make millions of dollars annually and contribute huge amounts of money to our economy and to charity.

One of the keys to our economic recovery is getting people clean and sober. Is that enough? We need to take it one step further and provide a bridge back to productivity. This is the focus of the 12 Angels. Here are some solutions to increasing productivity:

1. More agency owned businesses - these businesses can operate inside of long term government funded treatment centers. Some organizations like Delancey Street and the Salvation Army have been doing this for decades. One of our goals with the 12 Angels is to help other treatment centers that do not operate businesses start profitable and with sustainable companies. If you are reading this and are a cashed out entrepreneur, foundation or philanthropist - we need your help!

2. More micro-lending and micro-credit available to recovering addict entrepreneurs. The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Muhammad Yunus and the Grameen Bank for their success in creating economic opportunity to the poor. Why can’t we apply micro-lending and micro-credit to recovering addict entrepreneurs?

3. Why can’t we use models such as the ones developed by Pacific Community Ventures? Pacific Community Ventures uses tools of private equity to stimulate job creation, productivity and wealth in economically disadvantaged communities.

Practicing addicts and alcoholics cost our nation over $340 billion annually. Addiction is the largest health care problem in the nation. Using the 3 models described above coupled with the specific knowledge and experience of the 12 Angels’ organization is a winning combination.

We have an incredible opportunity to help everyone in our nation by reducing the damage addiction costs our society. Addiction is treatable. Economic recovery is possible. The return on investment is gigantic. Act now, help the 12 Angels implement our social entrepreneurship programs in the recovery community.

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